Earth Day

Earth day 2007

Earth day flag image courtsey: wikipedia.org

The burning issues.

The ozone layer that protects the living things from the harmful rays of the sun is fast depleting leaving gaping holes. The mountainous icebergs on the Polar Regions are melting and crumbling in unprecedented rates, as a result low lying land-mass face threats of getting submerged in to the sea. Tropical forests all vanish leaving no trace. The plastic “the wonder material of the 20^th century has almost grown to a monster challenging the environment. Increasing vehicles pollute the globe by emitting carbon dioxide in unprecedented scale.

The blame game!

Image courtsey: china.metcn8.com

These are all words we hear everyday, undeveloped world blames the developed nations and call them eco criminals. The rich nations in turn accuse the third world nations for not setting standards for manufacturing thereby causing more pollution.

Lighting a candle.

U thant image courtsey: uniclima.org.pe

As the blame game is going on planet earth is getting chocked and on the verge of suffocation. Let us see what can be creatively done to improve the situation and what is going on all around the globe to meet the evils caused by pollution. If not for introspection and correction “the Earth Day” means nothing. Let us imbibe the spirit of this day as it is like lighting a candle, rather than blaming darkness.

A day many events.

April 22^nd has much significance as the day is “Vernal Equinox” (when the sun crosses the equator about between 21^st and 22^nd of April). This day is significant as it is the birth anniversary of Eddie Albert a TV star as well as an early environmentalist. The birth anniversary of Julius Starling Morton- the founder of the arbor-day (arbor means tree, that is celebrated in

Nebraska as national tree planting day) also coincides in April 22^nd. One more strange thing is that April 22^nd is Vladimir Illich Lenin’s birth anniversary- the former Russian premier- but Lenin is not known for his affinity to environment.

A day for Mother Earth.

Image courtsey: aesi1.com

On April 22, 2007 we observe a day by the name “Earth Day” - a rather unusual one. Even though living on the very earth, people seldom think about it as earth has been here ever since all were born. There is the relevance as April 22^nd is here to make people think that they are very much a part of this globe by name earth and earth’s well being is as important as the welfare of our own children. It was on February 26, 1971 UN Secretary General U Thant signed a proclamation to the effect that all the coming 22^nd April will be observed as Earth’s day.

Ringing Japanese peace bell.

As a ritual it has become a tradition that the UN Secretary General rings a Japanese peace bell marking the onset of the Earth-Day. This bell has been donated by the Japanese as a good will.

A spaceship that keeps us warm!

On 21^st March 1971 Mr. U Thant delivered a beautiful speech comparing earth as a spaceship spinning around in frigid space carrying a very delicate cargo that is living things. The author may quote his own words “May there be peaceful and cheerful earth days to come for our beautiful spaceship as it continues to spin and circle in frigid space with its warm and fragile cargo of animal life”

Pioneers of environmentalism.

John Mc Connell image courtsey: earthsocietyfoundation.org

On a UNESCO conference of environment held on 1969, John Mc Connell first introduced the idea of a global holiday by name “The Earth Day”. In the same year he designed the flag for the day with earth and its atmosphere embedded on it. Proclamation for the First Earth Day was done by the Mayor of San Francisco Mr. Joseph Alioto on March 21, 1970.

The “great” oil spill.

The immediate provocation was the great oil spill that occurred in Santa Barbara in 1969 that set the circumstances conductive for radical actions which were overdue. The drastic impact of the spill infuriated Senator Gaylord Nelson; he flew to Washington and initiated actions to frame effective laws enabling government to take urgent steps for environmental protection. That was just the beginning, thereafter more and more legal bodies have been set to tackle disasters which may occur in future.

There is only one earth.

Gandhi image courtsey: worldpeace-conference.net

The present wave of environmental activism has its roots in these steps taken by the pioneers who initiated the process. There may be many planets but there is only one earth on which the destiny of generations to come have to find shelter. There are enough for everyone’s needs, but not for one’s greed. It seems perhaps a little bit of Gandhism alone can save this planet, simple living and high thinking- to which Gandhi was the role model - may show the way, lead kindly light! Wishing all an optimistic but realistic

“Happy Earth Day”!!!