Every year since 1970 Earth Day is celebrated worldwide on April 22nd. Earth Day is a global event of ecological awareness and a call for action. The theme this year is “Protect Our Species.”
The planet is made up of millions of species, some of which have not yet been discovered. Every living thing has value and is important in the web of life -- from the tiny bee to the huge great ape. Some species are now considered threatened, some are endangered and some are extinct or are nearing extinction.
The greatest threat to species around the world is man. Human activity can either protect and preserve or endanger and destroy plants and wildlife everywhere. This destruction is linked to human activities such as: deforestation, irresponsible mass development, habitat destruction, pollution and pesticides, and trafficking and poaching, to name a few.
However, we can all make a difference by doing something positive like avoiding the use of pesticides and pollutants that contaminate the soil in which our food is grown and planting even a small garden in a small space for birds and other pollinators. And we need to work together globally to slow the rate of extinctions and species that are endangered.
The Earth belongs to everything on it and we are all caretakers of the Earth, so let’s take care of it together and find a way to live responsibly, and protect and preserve all species for future generations.
Reminder: Next year, Earth Day 2020, will mark its 50th year anniversary!
G. Nueva & F. Perez