The Global Earth Day Movement
Since 1970, EARTHDAY.ORG has been on a mission to mobilise, diversify, educate and activate the environmental movement worldwide. Currently working with over 75,000 partners in over 192 countries to drive positive action for the planet, this organisation has effectively mobilised 1 billion individuals to positively impact the planet and the next generation.1
But where did it all come from?
Conceived in the United States of America, Earth Day has transformed into a global movement with over half a century of mobilisation behind it, but where did it all begin? On April 22nd, 1970 a voice was given to emerging public consciousness about the state of our planet. Americans were guilty of consuming huge amounts of leaded gas through inefficient automobiles and the industry the powered them. Air pollution was accepted, the lasting effects of which were completely ignored, but the smell was recognised as the scent of prosperity. Until this day in 1970, mainstream America remained largely ignorant to environmental concerns and how environmental pollution threatens human health. There were a few climate-conscious individuals that knew that change was required to enrich the lives of the next generation so that they can prosper and live fulfilling lives.1
Gaylord Nelson, an individual long concerned with the debilitating environment in the United States, was inspired by the student anti-war movement and was curious to see how he could harness and infuse the energy of the student anti-war protest with an emerging public consciousness about air and water pollution. Nelson persuaded another conservation-minded Republic Congressman, Denis Hayes, to serve as his co-chair. Together they chose a day to be used for campus teach-ins, this ended up being April 22nd, a weekday falling between spring break and final exams to maximise the greatest student participation. This is how Earth Day began.1
What does it look like today and what is it trying to achieve?
Today, Earth Day is marked in our calendars as the largest non-religious observance in the world, participated in by more than a billion people every year, it is a day of action to change human behaviour and create global, national and local policy changes. It’s even more important in the present day as the fight against climate change becomes more and more prevalent, and the urgency to take action is increasing every day. Earth Day operates with three core principles at heart.
Broaden, Diversify, Mobilise.
Disillusion by the willingness to adopt the principles set out in the Paris Agreement of 2015, climate-conscious individuals around the world are emploring citizens of all nations to do away with their lethargic approach to climate change and adopt greater action for the next generation and for the future of our planet. At UPPAREL, we’re writing our own chapter to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and prevent climate change. We’re doing this through our flagship initiative – our clothing recycling collection, where we collect old, unwanted textiles and turn them into new products – Just like our new FlipUP™, the world’s first circular flip out sofa for kids. Find out more here.
We invite you to be a part of the Earth Day movement and help us, and the organisation write many more chapters into the future history of the day.
Use our calculator to figure out how many greenhouse gases you’ll prevent by sending your old items to us!
Sources cited.
- https://www.earthday.org/
- https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/01/27/fact-sheet-president-biden-takes-executive-actions-to-tackle-the-climate-crisis-at-home-and-abroad-create-jobs-and-restore-scientific-integrity-across-federal-government/
- https://www.voanews.com/usa/bidens-earth-day-summit-aims-reset-climate-change
- https://www.cfr.org/in-brief/biden-earth-day-climate-summit-what-to-expect
- https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2021/jan/05/australias-new-climate-pledge-to-un-criticised-for-not-improving-on-2030-target