Pledging To Protect The Planet On Earth Day 2022: Heres How You Can Do Your Bit

To say the least, it depends on us - the citizens of the world - to protect and nurture Mother Earth. On this Earth Day, let's come together and pledge to protect our dear planet.

What is Earth Day?

Earth Day is an annual event observed on the 22nd of April every year, to show support for environmental protection. In 1969, peace activist John McConnell proposed a day to honor the Earth at a UNESCO Conference in San Francisco. United States Senator Gaylord Nelson proposed the idea to hold a nationwide environmental teach-in on April 22, 1970, marking the first Earth Day event. After 20 years, Denis Hayes took it beyond the United States and organized events in 141 nations.

Earth Day now involves a wide range of events across 193 countries, coordinated globally by EarthDay.org with particular themes every year. The official theme for 2022 is “Invest In Our Planet”. Everyone agrees that there is no viable route to limiting global warming and building resilience without urgently protecting, managing, and restoring nature.

Thus residents and tourists at any popular destination must realize the collective responsibility and act together in the interest of the whole world.

What we must do?

We would certainly not want events like the one reported above being repeated. There are little initiatives that will eventually contribute to a positive impact on the environment. Without jeopardizing convenience, the under-mentioned habits could make the members of the travel community more responsible with regards to social and environmental context.

1. Use the Internet, not trees.

The Canopy project of Earthday.org is dedicated to conservation and restoration of forest cover in places requiring urgent attention to reforestation. Earthday.org has planted trees for nearly 20 years, with plantings located on every continent except Antarctica. In India, planting locations are focused in the foothills of the Himalayas. Gift your loved ones a sapling, or dedicate a tree through the canopy project.

2. End plastic pollution.

The Great Global Cleanup is a worldwide campaign to remove tonnes of trash from beaches, rivers, lakes, trails, and parks — reducing waste and plastic pollution, improving habitats, and preventing harm to wildlife and humans. Individual efforts can be amplified at earthday.org and social channels through storytelling, sharing media content and showcasing best practices and success stories.

3. Educate about climate change.

Knowledge is power. Hence, promote climate literacy initiatives in your community and around the world. The world needs youth to mobilize and use the knowledge, skills and motivation to take civic action to protect our planet. Education needs to be a key part of this effort. Motivate, train, volunteer and lead by example. Roorkee KV School has launched a planting project in which every student plants a tree on his or her birthday and takes care of it. As a result, more than 12,000 plants have been planted over the last eight years.

4. Reuse Recycle Refill.

It is estimated that we use 4 TRILLION plastic bags each year worldwide. Reduce your own plastic waste. Plastic utensils used for eating on-the-go are an unnecessary but major source of plastic pollution. While they serve convenience for half an hour’s service, the plastic could stay in the landfill for over 100 years. Remember to carry back bottles and packets used up during trekking excursions and not litter them randomly.

Choose quality and durability over convenience. Carry reusable bags to markets, refuse to use disposable plastic bottles in trips and tours. For household, choose to refill homecare liquids (Floor cleaner, Laundry liquid, etc.). Refillable is one such initiative which is delivering to doorstep liquids in packaged free manner. It is time we chose PLANET over PLASTIC.

5. Turn off lights when not in use.

Practice to turn off the tap during shaving or brushing your teeth. And remember to switch off lights / fans / TV when not in use. Keep the AC running above 24 degrees. Few hotels have keycards, which when removed, automatically shuts down electricity in the room. In places where the feature is not available, please remember to switch off the AC / fan / TV before stepping out of the room.

Now is the time for the unstoppable courage to preserve and protect our health, our families, livelihoods and our future. WE must Invest In Our Planet.

For more information on Earth Day 2022, the official theme, updates, and how to get involved, please visit: https://www.earthday.org/earth-day-2022/