Celebrated every April
22, Earth Day is the
largest, most celebrated
environmental event
worldwide.
More than 6 million
Canadians join 500
million people in over
180 countries in staging
events and projects to
address local
environmental issues.
Nearly every school
child in Canada takes
part in an Earth Day
activity.
Earth Day is celebrated
in many countries on the
Vernal Equinox (March 20th
or 21st)
which marks the moment
that
Spring begins in the
Northern Hemisphere and
Autumn in the
Southern Hemisphere. In
Canada, the United
States and several other
countries, Earth Day is
primarily celebrated on
April 22nd of
each year.
The concept of Earth Day
began in the spring of
1970. Exactly how and
when it was conceived,
as well as who was
responsible for its
origination, is still
debated.
VERNAL EQUINOX EARTH DAY
The first celebration of
Earth Day was on March
21, 1970 as a day to
celebrate the natural
wonders of our planet
and to think about
Earth's tender seedlings
of life. This
celebration was first
proposed by John
McConnell in early
October 1969 in San
Francisco, California.
UN Secretary General U
Thant supported John
McConnell’s global
initiative and spoke in
its behalf at a Peace
Bell Ceremony at the
United Nations on March
21, 1971. The United
Nations Earth Day
ceremony continued each
year with the ringing of
the U.N. Peace Bell at
the precise moment of
the Equinox, followed by
two minutes of silent
prayer or reflection.
The Earth Society is
largely responsible for
these ceremonial
activities. One of the
member nations of the
United Nations arranges
to sponsor the event.
Corresponding ceremonies
are held at the same
time in various cities
around the world.
APRIL 22nd EARTH DAY
The common April 22nd
celebration of Earth Day
was also first
celebrated in 1970. This
event, spearheaded by
Wisconsin Senator
Gaylord Nelson and
Harvard University
student Denis Hayes,
involved teach-ins that
addressed decades of
environmental pollution.
The first event was
observed by twenty
million Americans, most
of them students.
Arbor Day activities
were modified to
emphasize the critical
importance of the
environment and to make
the American public
aware of the destruction
of the earth's natural
preserves. The sponsors
hoped to start an
environmental movement
that would alter
industrial practices and
human consumption. The
event inspired the US
Congress to pass clean
air and water acts and
to establish the
Environmental Protection
Agency.
Since the first event in
1970, the holiday has
been an annual event for
people around the world
to celebrate the earth
and renew their
commitment to building a
safer, healthier and
cleaner world. Although
Earth Day is not a
statutory holiday, it
has helped Canadians
realize that they can
and should do something
to protect the
environment.
ONE-TONNE CHALLENGE
To get people thinking
about their energy use,
the Government of Canada
launched the One-Tonne
Challenge on March 26,
2004. The Challenge
calls on Canadians to
develop a household plan
to reduce energy use. A
user-friendly guide
provides measurable
actions to help
individuals develop a
customized action plan.
By using energy
efficiently and by
making wise consumer
choices, individuals can
reduce GHG emissions by
one tonne, or about 20
percent. Many of the
tips outlined in the
guide not only reduce
energy but also improve
air quality and save
money.
For information about
the One-Tonne Challenge
and access to products,
tools, and answers to
frequently asked
questions, please visit
the
Government of Canada's
Climate Change website.
The interactive web site
includes a personal GHG
emissions calculator, a
tell-a-friend feature
and a downloadable
version of the user
guide.
Source:
Natural Resources Canada
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