The Best Reasons to Celebrate Earth Day

Senator Gaylord Nelson developed Earth Day in 1970, and the very first celebration of it was held on April 22 of that year. Since then, Earth Day has been an annual event whose purpose is to teach people how to respect and protect the environment and Mother Earth. Since its very first celebration decades ago, it has evolved into an event that also emphasizes the role of climate change in today’s society and an emphasis on recycling. Earth Day is now celebrated in nearly every major city in the U.S. and the world, and it is just plain fun to boot. If you’re looking for some great reasons to celebrate Earth Day, here are just a few.

 

You Are a Part of the Earth’s Ecosystem

On Earth Day, people become aware of their part in the earth’s balanced ecosystem. Even if it is just for one day, you can participate in activities such as planting trees, using more environmentally friendly products, and keeping your surroundings clean and functional. After all, we all owe our livelihood to Mother Earth, so respecting her and helping to keep her around are great ways to show her how much you care.

 

Together We Can Achieve Certain Environmental Goals

Since climate change – called global warming by some – is always in the news these days, it is a constant reminder that we all need to work together to improve the environment and salvage our land and water. Even if people make just small changes, it allows them to feel better about our lives, because they know they are doing something that will ultimately help their children and grandchildren.

 

Improve Your Personal Health

Earth Day is a great day to be aware of how the Earth’s problems affect your personal health, as well as the health of those around you. Even if we only do this for one day, it is a good idea to concentrate on actions that will improve the environment and, therefore, improve not only your health, but the health of others as well. Problems with the environment have been proven to have an adverse effect on human health, particularly in the area of respiratory issues, so learning how to respect the environment is a great way to improve people’s overall health.

 

Feel Better About Yourself

Celebrating Earth Day not only gives you a sense of satisfaction overall, but it makes you feel better about yourself. Of course, one of the goals of Earth Day is that you will continue to participate in environment-saving activities even after the day is over, but even if all you do is help the earth on that one day, you can gain a sense of satisfaction.

 

The Truth About Climate Change

Even though to some people, particularly in the United States, climate change is nothing to be concerned about, most scientists disagree with this opinion and consider climate change a real threat to humanity’s well-being and future. Climate change should not be controversial, because it is real. Fortunately, there are some facts about climate change that may enable people to become more aware of its existence:

• Before the end of this century, it is expected that sea levels will rise from seven to 23 inches. Since half of the people in the world live less than 40 miles from the sea and three-fourths of the biggest cities are found along the coast, this can cause a real problem.

• By the year 2040, the Arctic region may experience its first ice-free summer. That means that in less than 30 years the Arctic will run out of ice, which is an especially negative consequence for the polar bears.

• From the late 1970s to the early 2000s, premature deaths totaling approximately 8,000 have been caused by excessive heat exposure, thanks to global warming. This is an alarming number.

Regardless of where you live or your personal beliefs, there are things everyone can do to preserve our environment and make it easier for future generations to live healthy lives. People should do these things not only on Earth Day, but every day, so that future generations can enjoy what we’ve been lucky enough to experience.