Earth Day 2022: Let’s Invest In Our Planet

From the history of the movement to some of its milestones, we move forward to make Earth Day 2022 meaningful and impactful with our community.

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Mattia Cerma
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Each year on April 22, more than a billion people across the globe celebrate Earth Day. The one and only driver behind the movement is raising awareness on the environment and protecting our planet. At Forestmatic, we take this very seriously, and to sustain this year's campaign “Invest in Our Planet”, we want to help you generate additional impact with our special Earth Day Campaign.

But let’s dig a little more into it. The first edition of Earth Day was celebrated in 1970, when Wisconsin U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson organized a national demonstration after witnessing one of the most devastating oil spills in the history of the United States. Inspired by the energy of student Vietnam war protesters, senator Nelson partnered with college activist Denis Hayes to begin a coordinated program of environmental actions, encouraged by the rising public awareness of these issues. The date of April 22 was chosen to encourage young people's participation, as it fell between most students’ spring break and final exams. Rallies took place across the country, with more than 2,000 colleges and universities, 10,000 public schools, and 20 million citizens participating. With a massive 10% of the country’s population involved in the movement, by the end of the year, the U.S. government, under public pressures, created the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). A massive step forward for the time.

In the following 20 years, Earth Day transformed from a U.S. specific movement, to a globally participated action, with events celebrated in more than 140 countries around the world. In 2009, the United Nations designated April 22 “International Mother Earth Day”. Today, it’s estimated that over a billion people participate each year, making it the largest spontaneous, non religious observance in the world.

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Latest scientific research and findings have given us red warnings we cannot ignore anymore: there's no safe place or inhabited region escaping dire impacts from rising temperatures and increasingly extreme weather. Almost half of the global population – between 3.3 billion and 3.6 billion people – live in areas “highly vulnerable” to climate change. Millions of people face food and water shortages due to climate change, even at current levels. Key ecosystems are losing their ability to absorb carbon dioxide, turning them from carbon sinks to carbon sources. Coastal areas around the globe, and small, low-lying islands, face inundation.

So for #EarthDay2022 let’s invest in our planet. Let’s act together to promote equitable and fair living for everyone on this planet to thrive. Anyone and everyone can contribute by making their own small part.

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  • Plant Trees - Engage with your business and colleagues in tree planting activities. They sequester CO2, provide shelter for animals, reduce temperatures and improve air and water quality. Start planting and tracking trees with Forestmatic today.

  • Turn off the lights - Electricity doesn’t just happen - it has to be produced from things around us. A lot of times it comes from fossil fuels. No matter where it’s coming from, try conserving energy by using only what you need.

  • Make it zero waste - Before you throw something away, think about whether it can be recycled or repurposed. You can also limit waste by reducing the amount of things you buy.

  • Reduce water usage - It might seem like it’s everywhere, but clean, drinkable water is a very limited and precious resource. About 1% of Earth water can be actually consumed by humans. Be aware of your usage and challenge yourself minimise your consumption for tasks such as showering, brushing your teeth and doing the dishes.

  • Invest your time - Volunteer to pick up trash at a nearby park or beach, start a collection drive for recyclable items, organize a day to collect old, unusable clothes to be donated.

  • Spread the word - Talk to your friends, family members, colleagues: every bit counts. Ask them to help and join you. Need to get the conversation started? You can start giving a shout to us.

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Mattia Curma