Earth Day started in 1970 as an environmental movement. A junior senator from Wisconsin, Gayford Nelson, wanted to educate people through teach-ins about environmental issues like air & water pollution to on-campus students & members of the media. After drumming up lots of attention and sparking a flame in the hearts of many, Earth Day became something that many people acknowledge.

Today, Earth Day is recognised worldwide and has helped to change the way we view environmentalism. It has pushed the planet’s needs to the forefront and has shone light upon the works being done in this space to help us achieve net-zero.

Here are five reasons why it is important to celebrate Earth Day:

An opportunity to educate people: Eduction is a very powerful tool. It can help shift perspectives, provide enlightenment, and gear people into action. For example, many communities and activists take to social media and IRL demonstrations to share the message around planet proud living during Earth Day. People can then digest the information in a bitesize form or even during an open discussion which helps them digest it. The more we know as a people, the more we can act against climate change.

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Raise the profile of environmental issues: There is so much happening in this space, and you may miss it if you’re not keyed in. Earth day provides a stage for these issues so that we can address them openly & raise the profile of important things. The most recent IPCC report is an example of this; it has been stressed that we need to act now to change the course of things and slow down global warming; reports like this should get more traction so that we can all apply ourselves accordingly.

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It helps with policy change: Earth has helped us see policy changes like the Clean Air Act, The Water Quality Act, The Endangered Species Act, and so much more. This goes to show the power of this day. It means that government bodies are prompted to take immediate actions, and after seeing the issues tabled, they can’t ignore them.

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It is important to reflect: We all have Earth in common, we all live here, and if we like it here, we have to look after it. People often talk about eco-anxiety and the sense of doom that comes with climate change, but this isn’t to say we shouldn’t take time to think about it. Reflection doesn’t have to be sad or miserable; it can be a real moment, refreshing your knowledge on environmental issues, inviting yourself to take action and becoming part of the solution. There are apps like Yayzy designed to help you easily act against climate change.

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Every day is Earth Day: This is the biggest message of all. It isn’t just about a day or a week or a month; this is about us loving the Earth that we live on. Let’s show our gratitude by applying what we know to help us make positive changes.

Happy Earth Day everyone, and remember to be the change you want to see in this beautiful world.