Second Earth Day Under Lockdown - 22nd April 2021
Is it just me or do we seem to have a lot of “celebratory” days and weeks for some good and some rather odd ideas? I’m not knocking “pie week” for example – I happen to like pies very much, but why do we need a week to celebrate them?
One of the important ones must surely be Earth Day!
Earth Day started just over 50 years ago and was first held on April 22nd 1970 in the USA with some 10% of the US population taking to the streets to support it. It got the attention of politicians in the USA and started a process of legislating on important environmental issues including the US Environmental Protection Act.
The theme for this Earth Day is “Restore Our Earth” with a number of key themes including “The Great Global Clean-up” and there are some ways you can get involved via the official site for 2021. There is an interactive map of local events you could join, however events seem a bit sparse in some areas but if you were so minded you could set up an event yourself using the tool kit. There is also a programme of discussions starting on the 20th through to Earth Day itself on 22nd
This is the second Earth Day under COVID restrictions though with the world’s population and usual activities being shutdown to different degrees.
So, working within the restrictions what can we do or could we do either individually or collectively to celebrate the 51st event? If you’re reading this, I’d love some really good suggestions or your intentions (please add to comments below) that we could perhaps make a habit of, and not just try for one day!
With many of us still working from home, some of us furloughed and any sense of normality some distance away it’s probably time for individual acts, acting within your bubble or meeting up with another household?
This is what I’m intending to do.
I’m going to start “plogging” (combines litter picking with jogging) – well not plogging, but perhaps a “pamble” (I’m sure you can work it out) on at least 1 day a week. The Keep Britain Tidy website has got some great information including kit and safety advice.
Why not think about what you can do as an individual, as a family, as a workforce? Make some plans and take action!