earth day article essay

ENCYCLOPEDIC ENTRY

Earth Day is an annual celebration that honors the achievements of the environmental movement and raises awareness of the need to protect Earth’s natural resources for future generations. Earth Day is celebrated on April 22 in the United States and on either April 22 or the day the spring equinox occurs throughout the rest of the world.

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• National Geographic Education: Introduction to Earth Day

Earth Day is an annual celebration that honors the achievements of the environmental movement and raises awareness of the need to protect Earths natural resources for future generations . Earth Day is celebrated on April 22 in the United States and on either April 22 or the day the spring equinox occurs throughout the rest of the world. Environmental activism during the 1960s inspired Wisconsin Sen. Gaylord Nelson to create a national celebration uniting the environmental movement. With the help of Denis Hayes, a graduate student at Harvard University, Nelson organized the first Earth Day on April 22, 1970, educating participants in the importance of environmental conservation . Attended by 20 million people across the United States, the event strengthened support for legislation such as the Clean Air Act (updated in 1970) and the Endangered Species Act (1973). In 1990, Hayes organized a global Earth Day, with more than 200 million participants in more than 140 countries. Earth Day now brings together citizens and activists from around the world to raise awareness and take action regarding such environmental concerns as global warming and renewable energy . Today, the Earth Day Network (EDN) , which brings together more than 20,000 partners and organizations in 190 countries, supports the Earth Day mission year-round. This mission is founded on the premise that all people, regardless of race , gender , income , or geography , have a moral right to a healthy, sustainable environment. The Earth Day Network pursues this mission through education, public policy , and activism campaigns. These campaigns bring together more than one billion participants every year, making it one of the largest public, secular events in the world. The Earth Day Network pursues a set of core goals:

• Broaden the meaning of environment to include issues such as climate change , green schools and environmental curricula, green jobs , and renewable energy ;
• Diversify the movement by providing civic engagement opportunities at the local, state, national and global levels around the world. Recognizing that climate change impacts our most vulnerable citizens first and most severely, EDN often works with low-income communities to bring their voices and issues into the movement.
• Mobilize communities by working with partner organizations to provide opportunities for all citizens to become active in the environmental movement.

Earth Days Core Issues This set of goals underlines Earth Day events and actions around the world, which can be organized into ten core issues. Advocacy : Supporters encourage individuals and organizations to meet with elected officials to discuss environmental issues. The online program "Million Acts of Green," for instance, encourages visitors to adopt lifestyle changes such as composting, reducing your carbon footprint, or recycling e-waste.

Climate Change : Supporters raise awareness about climate change , human contribution to those changes, and opportunities to slow the phenomenon . Many Earth Day supporters, for instance, encourage citizens to support the landmark Paris Climate agreement, set to be signed on Earth Day 2016.

Conservation & Biology : Supporters work to conserve the world's biodiversity . On Earth Day 2010, for instance, participants in Sri Lanka planted more than 100 medicinal plants throughout the tropical rain forest at Yagirala Forest Reserve. These plants can be used by local populations and will create habitats for different organisms, enhancing the biodiversity of the island nation. Education : Earth Day education programs provide educators, students, and the general public with resources and solutions to create a healthier, more sustainable planet. On Earth Day 2010, for instance, teachers and students in the Compostela Valley region of the Philippines participated in a day-long conference. At the conference, they learned about tree planting and care, participated in nature hikes, and presented their environmental action projects to the community. Energy : Advocates support projects that develop renewable energy sources and technologies as means of transitioning off of nonrenewable sources, such as coal and oil . Citizens of Qatar, for example, are invited to switch off their power for one hour on Earth Day in a symbolic stance against human contributions to global warming. Food & Agriculture : Supporters raise awareness about some farming practices, such as the use of chemical pesticides , which contribute to environmental degradation . Supporters also advocate for a greater support of organic , local, and sustainable agricultural techniques. Member organizations of this issue group include Articultores , based in Buenos Aires, Argentina, which raises awareness about urban gardening and brings citizens and youth together to plant in abandoned sites in cities. Green Economy : Supporters advocate for the creation of green industries and jobs that are connected to renewable energy sources. For example, the Students in Free Enterprise group in Saskatchewan, Canada, sponsors a prize for student projects that make best use of recycled materials. Green Schools : The Earth Day Network sponsors the National GREEN Schools Campaign. The GREEN Schools Campaign includes a focus on healthy school lunches, environmental classroom activities, outreach to local and national leaders, and an emphasis on sustainable building techniques. Recycling & Waste Reduction : Supporters work to reduce the amount of waste that people produce, and increase the amount that we recycle and reuse. The Beach Bunch group of Brunei, for example, organizes beach-cleaning campaigns. Sustainable Development : Supporters promote environmental practices that respect biodiversity and the natural world. Costa Rica, for instance, has implemented the Viaje Limpio program, in which individuals and companies pay a fee for the greenhouse gases they produce through travel. This money goes to protect the rainforest, water resources, and biodiversity of Costa Rica. Viaje Limpio helps the Costa Rican economy, because biodiversity and the rain forest are important natural assets that bring thousands of tourists to the country every year. In only 40 years, Earth Day has evolved from a single day celebrating the environmental movement in the United States to a global network that empowers more than a billion people to better understand, protect, and improve the environment.

Why April 22? Earth Day falls on April 22. The day was chosen by the original event's organizer, U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson (for the state of Wisconsin), for simple reasons. Earth Day was an event focused on college students, and April 22 did not interfere with Spring Break, final exams, major religious holidays such as Easter, and was late enough in spring to anticipate decent weather for outdoor activities.

Margaret Mead's Holy Day "Earth Day is the first holy day which transcends all national borders, yet preserves all geographical integrities, spans mountains and oceans and time belts, and yet brings people all over the world into one resonating accord, is devoted to the preservation of the harmony in nature and yet draws upon the triumphs of technology, the measurement of time, and instantaneous communication through space." <br> Margaret Mead, cultural anthropologist

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March 27, 2024

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Essay On Earth Day

Every year on April 22, Earth Day is observed worldwide. This day was established to promote environmental safety and awareness. Earth Day was first observed by Senator Gaylord Nelson in 1970. Nelson sparked multiple large-scale movements, protested, and mobilised the American public to begin caring for the environment. Here are a few sample essays on Earth Day.

100 Words Essay On Earth Day

World Earth Day is observed every year on April 22. The aim is to bring attention to the effects of ever-increasing global warming, openly debate about how it affects our daily lives and spread knowledge on the ways to prevent further harm from occurring, as well as undoing what has already been done. On this day, a number of important issues are discussed publicly, including climate change, increasing sea levels, ozone layer thinning, and indiscriminate deforestation. Numerous conferences, awareness campaigns, etc., are organised to commemorate this day. Some volunteers choose to plant trees on neighbouring property, while others prefer to clean the adjacent roads or rivers.

200 Words Essay On Earth Day

Several nations across the world celebrate World Earth Day. It's a day set aside to spread awareness and show appreciation for the Earth, our home planet.

First Earth Day Celebrations | Earth Day was first observed in the USA, and eventually it came to be celebrated worldwide. It is observed by more than 193 nations with a strong commitment to educating the populace. The inaugural Earth Day was commemorated on April 22, 1970. American Senator Gaylord Nelson recognised the necessity for this day in 1990, the first World Earth Day was officially recognised on a global level.

Meaning | Legend has it that the Sant Barbara oil leak in 1969 killed off zillions of aquatic species, including flora, and as a result, Earth Day was instituted. Earth Day is meant to remind people of the need to be more aware and appreciative of the planet's resources.

Activities Undertaken | Everyone is urged to switch off all unnecessary lights. Some volunteers go to neighbouring properties on this day to plant trees, while others clean the nearby waterways or roads. To promote open mindfulness, a number of experts team up to create banners, origami creations, or artistic pieces. It is our responsibility to restore the environmental harm we have wrought.

500 Words Essay On Earth Day

April 22 is recognised as World Earth Day to show support for the planet's health and promote public awareness of the problem. Over 190 nations have celebrated it since 1970. The signing of the Paris Agreement this year has increased the importance of World Earth Day. This agreement has been signed by about 120 countries, including the US and China, who promise to enact regulations that will reduce the release of ozone-depleting compounds into the atmosphere.

Issues Of Concern

World Earth Day is celebrated every year to raise awareness of the constantly growing global threat, freely discuss the catastrophic effects it has on our daily lives, and instruct everyone about how to prevent further damage and repair that has already been done. Environmental change, steadily rising ocean level, the depletion of the ozone layer, and ruthless deforestation are some predominant issues of discussion.

Establishing Earth Day

The need for an Earth Day began to be seen in the 1970s. It was then when people started becoming sensitive towards the planet and making some effort to protect it. The inaugural Earth Day celebration took place in 1970. There were millions of people involved. People protested and urged the government to safeguard the environment.

Gaylord Nelson’s Contribution

The key driving force for the Earth Day celebration was US Senator Gaylord Nelson. He demanded action in support of the environment alongside activists, students, environmentalists, and the general public. Additionally, he put a lot of effort into bringing the issue to a political level.

Senator Nelson was successful in his aim, and both the government and the general public enthusiastically supported the first Earth Day. Everyone who participated in the event—rich, poor, athletes, farmers, businesspeople, and others—made a commitment to preserve the planet earth.

Importance Of Earth Day

The only planet where life exists is Earth. It's special and the only location we have. It will put our very existence in peril if we can't keep it safe.

Numerous factors are necessary for life on Earth. For life to exist on Earth, there must be land, water, soil, forests, and air. But unregulated resource consumption, deforestation, pollution, climatic shifts, and other factors have seriously harmed the Earth's environment.

Earth Day serves as a reminder that sustainable living is necessary for ecological balance now more than ever. It serves as a reminder about how crucial it is to preserve ecosystems, nature, and other forms of life.

On Earth Day, we are reminded to act right away to stop the harmful effects of climate change.

How We Celebrated Earth Day In School

Last year, my school enthusiastically celebrated Earth Day. A special assembly was held wherein students presented their views about how the Earth could be protected and sustainable development be facilitated. Each class planted a sapling a promised to nurture it. Children also made posters around the theme “Earth Day” which were put up on the multiple display boards across the school. The activities helped students understand the importance of conserving the planet and also the ways to do so.

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Gynaecologist.

Gynaecology can be defined as the study of the female body. The job outlook for gynaecology is excellent since there is evergreen demand for one because of their responsibility of dealing with not only women’s health but also fertility and pregnancy issues. Although most women prefer to have a women obstetrician gynaecologist as their doctor, men also explore a career as a gynaecologist and there are ample amounts of male doctors in the field who are gynaecologists and aid women during delivery and childbirth. 

An oncologist is a specialised doctor responsible for providing medical care to patients diagnosed with cancer. He or she uses several therapies to control the cancer and its effect on the human body such as chemotherapy, immunotherapy, radiation therapy and biopsy. An oncologist designs a treatment plan based on a pathology report after diagnosing the type of cancer and where it is spreading inside the body.

Audiologist

The audiologist career involves audiology professionals who are responsible to treat hearing loss and proactively preventing the relevant damage. Individuals who opt for a career as an audiologist use various testing strategies with the aim to determine if someone has a normal sensitivity to sounds or not. After the identification of hearing loss, a hearing doctor is required to determine which sections of the hearing are affected, to what extent they are affected, and where the wound causing the hearing loss is found. As soon as the hearing loss is identified, the patients are provided with recommendations for interventions and rehabilitation such as hearing aids, cochlear implants, and appropriate medical referrals. While audiology is a branch of science that studies and researches hearing, balance, and related disorders.

Hospital Administrator

The hospital Administrator is in charge of organising and supervising the daily operations of medical services and facilities. This organising includes managing of organisation’s staff and its members in service, budgets, service reports, departmental reporting and taking reminders of patient care and services.

For an individual who opts for a career as an actor, the primary responsibility is to completely speak to the character he or she is playing and to persuade the crowd that the character is genuine by connecting with them and bringing them into the story. This applies to significant roles and littler parts, as all roles join to make an effective creation. Here in this article, we will discuss how to become an actor in India, actor exams, actor salary in India, and actor jobs. 

Individuals who opt for a career as acrobats create and direct original routines for themselves, in addition to developing interpretations of existing routines. The work of circus acrobats can be seen in a variety of performance settings, including circus, reality shows, sports events like the Olympics, movies and commercials. Individuals who opt for a career as acrobats must be prepared to face rejections and intermittent periods of work. The creativity of acrobats may extend to other aspects of the performance. For example, acrobats in the circus may work with gym trainers, celebrities or collaborate with other professionals to enhance such performance elements as costume and or maybe at the teaching end of the career.

Video Game Designer

Career as a video game designer is filled with excitement as well as responsibilities. A video game designer is someone who is involved in the process of creating a game from day one. He or she is responsible for fulfilling duties like designing the character of the game, the several levels involved, plot, art and similar other elements. Individuals who opt for a career as a video game designer may also write the codes for the game using different programming languages.

Depending on the video game designer job description and experience they may also have to lead a team and do the early testing of the game in order to suggest changes and find loopholes.

Radio Jockey

Radio Jockey is an exciting, promising career and a great challenge for music lovers. If you are really interested in a career as radio jockey, then it is very important for an RJ to have an automatic, fun, and friendly personality. If you want to get a job done in this field, a strong command of the language and a good voice are always good things. Apart from this, in order to be a good radio jockey, you will also listen to good radio jockeys so that you can understand their style and later make your own by practicing.

A career as radio jockey has a lot to offer to deserving candidates. If you want to know more about a career as radio jockey, and how to become a radio jockey then continue reading the article.

Choreographer

The word “choreography" actually comes from Greek words that mean “dance writing." Individuals who opt for a career as a choreographer create and direct original dances, in addition to developing interpretations of existing dances. A Choreographer dances and utilises his or her creativity in other aspects of dance performance. For example, he or she may work with the music director to select music or collaborate with other famous choreographers to enhance such performance elements as lighting, costume and set design.

Videographer

Multimedia specialist.

A multimedia specialist is a media professional who creates, audio, videos, graphic image files, computer animations for multimedia applications. He or she is responsible for planning, producing, and maintaining websites and applications. 

Social Media Manager

A career as social media manager involves implementing the company’s or brand’s marketing plan across all social media channels. Social media managers help in building or improving a brand’s or a company’s website traffic, build brand awareness, create and implement marketing and brand strategy. Social media managers are key to important social communication as well.

Copy Writer

In a career as a copywriter, one has to consult with the client and understand the brief well. A career as a copywriter has a lot to offer to deserving candidates. Several new mediums of advertising are opening therefore making it a lucrative career choice. Students can pursue various copywriter courses such as Journalism , Advertising , Marketing Management . Here, we have discussed how to become a freelance copywriter, copywriter career path, how to become a copywriter in India, and copywriting career outlook. 

Careers in journalism are filled with excitement as well as responsibilities. One cannot afford to miss out on the details. As it is the small details that provide insights into a story. Depending on those insights a journalist goes about writing a news article. A journalism career can be stressful at times but if you are someone who is passionate about it then it is the right choice for you. If you want to know more about the media field and journalist career then continue reading this article.

For publishing books, newspapers, magazines and digital material, editorial and commercial strategies are set by publishers. Individuals in publishing career paths make choices about the markets their businesses will reach and the type of content that their audience will be served. Individuals in book publisher careers collaborate with editorial staff, designers, authors, and freelance contributors who develop and manage the creation of content.

In a career as a vlogger, one generally works for himself or herself. However, once an individual has gained viewership there are several brands and companies that approach them for paid collaboration. It is one of those fields where an individual can earn well while following his or her passion. 

Ever since internet costs got reduced the viewership for these types of content has increased on a large scale. Therefore, a career as a vlogger has a lot to offer. If you want to know more about the Vlogger eligibility, roles and responsibilities then continue reading the article. 

Individuals in the editor career path is an unsung hero of the news industry who polishes the language of the news stories provided by stringers, reporters, copywriters and content writers and also news agencies. Individuals who opt for a career as an editor make it more persuasive, concise and clear for readers. In this article, we will discuss the details of the editor's career path such as how to become an editor in India, editor salary in India and editor skills and qualities.

Linguistic meaning is related to language or Linguistics which is the study of languages. A career as a linguistic meaning, a profession that is based on the scientific study of language, and it's a very broad field with many specialities. Famous linguists work in academia, researching and teaching different areas of language, such as phonetics (sounds), syntax (word order) and semantics (meaning). 

Other researchers focus on specialities like computational linguistics, which seeks to better match human and computer language capacities, or applied linguistics, which is concerned with improving language education. Still, others work as language experts for the government, advertising companies, dictionary publishers and various other private enterprises. Some might work from home as freelance linguists. Philologist, phonologist, and dialectician are some of Linguist synonym. Linguists can study French , German , Italian . 

Public Relation Executive

Travel journalist.

The career of a travel journalist is full of passion, excitement and responsibility. Journalism as a career could be challenging at times, but if you're someone who has been genuinely enthusiastic about all this, then it is the best decision for you. Travel journalism jobs are all about insightful, artfully written, informative narratives designed to cover the travel industry. Travel Journalist is someone who explores, gathers and presents information as a news article.

Quality Controller

A quality controller plays a crucial role in an organisation. He or she is responsible for performing quality checks on manufactured products. He or she identifies the defects in a product and rejects the product. 

A quality controller records detailed information about products with defects and sends it to the supervisor or plant manager to take necessary actions to improve the production process.

Production Manager

Merchandiser.

A QA Lead is in charge of the QA Team. The role of QA Lead comes with the responsibility of assessing services and products in order to determine that he or she meets the quality standards. He or she develops, implements and manages test plans. 

Metallurgical Engineer

A metallurgical engineer is a professional who studies and produces materials that bring power to our world. He or she extracts metals from ores and rocks and transforms them into alloys, high-purity metals and other materials used in developing infrastructure, transportation and healthcare equipment. 

Azure Administrator

An Azure Administrator is a professional responsible for implementing, monitoring, and maintaining Azure Solutions. He or she manages cloud infrastructure service instances and various cloud servers as well as sets up public and private cloud systems. 

AWS Solution Architect

An AWS Solution Architect is someone who specializes in developing and implementing cloud computing systems. He or she has a good understanding of the various aspects of cloud computing and can confidently deploy and manage their systems. He or she troubleshoots the issues and evaluates the risk from the third party. 

Computer Programmer

Careers in computer programming primarily refer to the systematic act of writing code and moreover include wider computer science areas. The word 'programmer' or 'coder' has entered into practice with the growing number of newly self-taught tech enthusiasts. Computer programming careers involve the use of designs created by software developers and engineers and transforming them into commands that can be implemented by computers. These commands result in regular usage of social media sites, word-processing applications and browsers.

ITSM Manager

Information security manager.

Individuals in the information security manager career path involves in overseeing and controlling all aspects of computer security. The IT security manager job description includes planning and carrying out security measures to protect the business data and information from corruption, theft, unauthorised access, and deliberate attack 

Business Intelligence Developer

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• School Education /

Essay on Earth Day in 150, 250, and 450 words 

• Updated on  
• Feb 3, 2024

Essay on Earth Day: Earth Day is celebrated on April 22 every year to protect our planet. The day was first celebrated in the year 1970 to raise awareness about issues such as climate change, pollution, and environment conservation that threaten the natural resources of the Earth. 

Earth Day has been celebrated as a mission that is celebrated worldwide with different activities, campaigns, and events that help people and communities take initiatives like planting trees and conserving water to protect the environment and its sustainability.

Also Read: Speech on Deforestation for Students in English

This Blog Includes:

Essay on earth day 150 words, essay on earth day 250 words, essay on earth day 450+ words.

Earth Day was first celebrated on April 22, 1970, by a group of environmental activists. It was first proposed by peace activist John McConnell and was further popularised by United States Senator Gaylord Nelson. On April 22, 1970, an estimated 20 million Americans participated in the awareness campaign about the issues of pollution, spills of oils, loss of wilderness, and pesticides. 

The aim of celebrating Earth Day was to promote practices that can help protect the environment, such as planting trees, participating in recycling programmes, consuming less electricity, and saving water. The idea behind the celebration of Earth Day was to promote practices that can help protect the environment, such as planting trees, participating in recycling programmes, consuming less electricity, and reducing water consumption.

Earth Day reminds us that we all share a responsibility to take care of the Earth. It is a day to focus on our continuous efforts for the preservation of the globe and the reduction of human impact on the climate and environment. 

Also Read: Long Speech on Efficiency of Recycling in English

Earth Day is celebrated on April 22 every year. The day is celebrated to mark the anniversary of the modern environmental movement that started in 1970. Earth Day was founded to raise awareness about certain environmental issues like pollution, deforestation, and the loss of biodiversity. Since then, Earth Day has been celebrated every year globally by over 1 billion people in more than 190 countries. This day motivates people to take care of the environment in the same way nature takes care of her child. 

On this day, parents and teachers should start teaching children about the importance of nature and how their actions can help or harm the environment. To secure the environment for future generations, it is important to involve the little ones in activities such as planting trees and inspiring them to feel connected to nature. 

Earth Day teaches children about the critical threats to the environment, like changes in the environment, direct exploitation of natural resources, groundwater extraction, and overfishing. Early learning about the threats related to the environment can help the child live sustainably. Furthermore, Earth Day also teaches children to take responsibility for daily actions that help make a difference for the betterment of the environment. Simple acts like turning off the lights, recycling, reusing, and composting, and helping them plant plants, give children a chance to make a difference.

Thus, Earth Day serves as an important platform for encouraging environmental awareness among the elders as well as teaching the children about eco-friendly practices. It builds a sense of responsibility and motivation in both generations for active participation, protection, and preservation of the environment for the future.

Also Read: Speech on Waste Management for School Students

22 Minutes with Dr. Janet Swim https://t.co/gNbKQD75X3 — EARTHDAY.ORG (@EarthDay) January 22, 2024

Earth Day is celebrated on April 22 all over the world. It began in the year 1970 as a day to demonstrate the importance and support of the environment for living beings. The day afterward has grown into the massive contribution of people to the preservation of nature. Over one million people every year take part in the activities of Earth Day.

People on Earth Day come together from every part of the world to raise awareness regarding the challenges faced by our planet. To solve such challenges, a list of campaigns is set up for activities such as planting trees and picking up roadside litter, and projects on conservation are implemented. To add value to the day, people also hold rallies and concerts to increase awareness and understanding of the environment and the science of climate change. 

Earth Day is an important day that helps school students learn about issues related to the environment. Many schools organize programs and set up educational camps to highlight crucial topics like pollution, deforestation, loss of biodiversity, and changes in climatic conditions. The motive of these activities is to teach and inspire the students regarding the importance and protection of the environment. One such initiative is Earth School by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and TED-Ed to take children in natural settings for 30 days. 

In India, on Earth Day, schools, colleges, and universities take the initiative to teach students about the problems of the environment, such as air pollution, trash management, water scarcity, and the loss of forests. The academic institutions also organize events such as poster-making, essay writing, quiz contests, and clean-up drives in the local areas. Some environmental organizations also organise public events for discussion regarding the challenges facing India´s environment and its potential solutions.

The aim of celebrating Earth Day is to educate children as well as elders regarding the real-world problems that impact the planet. Hands-on activities such as practices to keep the park and road clean encourage the students to become citizens who are environmentally aware of the problems as well as of possible solutions. With the correct information and collective actions, we can solve our problems with the environment and build a cleaner and greener future. 

In conclusion, Earth Day involves people as well as countries worldwide to protect our shared planet. According to data from the United Nations Environmental Programme, approximately 1.9 billion trees are planted every year, and countries are coming up with projects as well as implementations to improve the quality of the air, reduce erosion, and absorb carbon emissions. Earth Day comes every year to bear responsibility for the present as well as build a sustainable future for Mother Earth.

Also Read: Speech on Pollution: Free Samples for Students in English

Ans. The aim of celebrating Earth Day is to educate as well as the elders regarding the real-world problems that impact people as well as the planet.

Ans. Earth Day was first celebrated on April 22, 1970, by a group of environmental activists. It was first proposed by peace activist John McConnell and further gained worldwide popularity by United States Senator Gaylord Nelson. On April 22, 1970, an estimated 20 million Americans participated in the awareness campaign about the issues of pollution, spills of oils, loss of wilderness, and pesticides.  The aim of celebrating Earth Day was to promote practices that can help protect the environment, such as planting trees, participating in recycling programmes, consuming less electricity, and saving water. 

Ans. The motive of the student activities is to teach and inspire the students regarding the importance and protection of the environment.

Ans. Earth Day is celebrated on April 22 every year. The day is celebrated to mark the anniversary of the modern environmental movement that started in 1970.

Ans. Earth Day involves people and countries worldwide to protect our shared planet. According to data from the United Nations Environmental Programme, approximately 1.9 billion trees are planted yearly, and countries are coming up with projects and implementations to improve air quality, reduce erosion, and absorb carbon emissions.

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Deepika Joshi

Deepika Joshi is an experienced content writer with expertise in creating educational and informative content. She has a year of experience writing content for speeches, essays, NCERT, study abroad and EdTech SaaS. Her strengths lie in conducting thorough research and ananlysis to provide accurate and up-to-date information to readers. She enjoys staying updated on new skills and knowledge, particulary in education domain. In her free time, she loves to read articles, and blogs with related to her field to further expand her expertise. In personal life, she loves creative writing and aspire to connect with innovative people who have fresh ideas to offer.

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Earth Day 2024

By: History.com Editors

Updated: January 31, 2024 | Original: October 27, 2009

Earth Day was founded in 1970 as a day of education about environmental issues, and Earth Day 2024 will occur on Monday, April 22. The holiday is now a global celebration that’s sometimes extended into Earth Week, a full seven days of events focused on green living and confronting the climate crisis. The brainchild of Senator Gaylord Nelson and inspired by the protests of the 1960s, Earth Day began as a “national teach-in on the environment” and was held on April 22 to maximize the number of students that could be reached on university campuses. By raising public awareness of pollution, Nelson hoped to bring environmental causes into the national spotlight.

Earth Day History

By the early 1960s, Americans were becoming aware of the effects of pollution on the environment. Rachel Carson’s 1962 bestseller Silent Spring raised the specter of the dangerous effects of pesticides on the American countryside. Later in the decade, a 1969 fire on Cleveland’s Cuyahoga River shed light on the problem of chemical waste disposal. Until that time, protecting the planet’s natural resources was not part of the national political agenda, and the number of activists devoted to large-scale issues such as industrial pollution was minimal. Factories pumped pollutants into the air, lakes and rivers with few legal consequences. Big, gas-guzzling cars were considered a sign of prosperity. Only a small portion of the American population was familiar with–let alone practiced–recycling.

Did you know? A highlight of the United Nations' Earth Day celebration in New York City is the ringing of the Peace Bell, a gift from Japan, at the exact moment of the vernal equinox.

Who Started Earth Day?

Elected to the U.S. Senate in 1962, Senator Gaylord Nelson, a Democrat from Wisconsin, was determined to convince the federal government that the planet was at risk. In 1969, Nelson, considered one of the leaders of the modern environmental movement, developed the idea for Earth Day after being inspired by the anti- Vietnam War “teach-ins” that were taking place on college campuses around the United States. According to Nelson, he envisioned a large-scale, grassroots environmental demonstration “to shake up the political establishment and force this issue onto the national agenda.”

Nelson announced the Earth Day concept at a conference in Seattle in the fall of 1969 and invited the entire nation to get involved. He later recalled:

“The wire services carried the story from coast to coast. The response was electric. It took off like gangbusters. Telegrams, letters and telephone inquiries poured in from all across the country. The American people finally had a forum to express its concern about what was happening to the land, rivers, lakes and air—and they did so with spectacular exuberance.”

Denis Hayes, a young activist who had served as student president at Stanford University, was selected as Earth Day’s national coordinator, and he worked with an army of student volunteers and several staff members from Nelson’s Senate office to organize the project. According to Nelson, “Earth Day worked because of the spontaneous response at the grassroots level. We had neither the time nor resources to organize 20 million demonstrators and the thousands of schools and local communities that participated. That was the remarkable thing about Earth Day. It organized itself.”

On the first Earth Day on April 22, 1970, rallies were held in Philadelphia, Chicago , Los Angeles and most other American cities, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. In New York City , Mayor John Lindsay closed off a portion of Fifth Avenue to traffic for several hours and spoke at a rally in Union Square with actors Paul Newman and Ali McGraw. In Washington, D.C. , thousands of people listened to speeches and performances by singer Pete Seeger and others, and Congress went into recess so its members could speak to their constituents at Earth Day events.

The first Earth Day was effective at raising awareness about environmental issues and transforming public attitudes. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, “Public opinion polls indicate that a permanent change in national priorities followed Earth Day 1970. When polled in May 1971, 25 percent of the U.S. public declared protecting the environment to be an important goal, a 2,500 percent increase over 1969.” Earth Day kicked off the “Environmental decade with a bang,” as Senator Nelson later put it. During the 1970s, a number of important pieces of environmental legislation were passed, among them the Clean Air Act, the Water Quality Improvement Act, the Endangered Species Act, the Toxic Substances Control Act and the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act. Another key development was the establishment in December 1970 of the Environmental Protection Agency, which was tasked with protecting human health and safeguarding the natural environment—air, water and land.

What Do You Do For Earth Day?

Since 1970, Earth Day celebrations have grown. In 1990, Earth Day went global, with 200 million people in over 140 nations participating, according to the Earth Day Network (EDN), a nonprofit organization that coordinates Earth Day activities. In 2000, Earth Day focused on clean energy and involved hundreds of millions of people in 184 countries and 5,000 environmental groups, according to EDN. Activities ranged from a traveling, talking drum chain in Gabon, Africa, to a gathering of hundreds of thousands of people at the National Mall in Washington, D.C. 

Today, the Earth Day Network collaborates with more than 17,000 partners and organizations in 174 countries. According to EDN, more than 1 billion people are involved in Earth Day activities, making it “the largest secular civic event in the world.”

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Earth Day: What is it, when is it and why is it important?

Earth Day takes place on 22 April each year. Image:  UNSPLASH/Markus Spiske

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Hanh nguyen.

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This article has been updated on 21 April 2023. It was originally published on 19 April 2022.

• Earth Day is one of the biggest environmental protest movements on the planet.
• It began in 1970 and takes place every year on 22 April.
• Around 1 billion people from more than 190 countries join demonstrations, projects and initiatives in efforts to help protect the planet.
• Without urgent action to curb emissions, the world is on course to reach 3.2°C above pre-industrial levels, the UN says.
• Fighting climate change and protecting nature must go hand in hand.

“Good evening, a unique day in American history is ending. A day set aside for a nationwide outpouring of mankind seeking its own survival.”

Those were the words of US TV presenter Walter Cronkite as he described the aftermath of the first Earth Day back in 1970.

Here’s what you need to know about Earth Day in 2023.

What is Earth Day and why is it held in April?

Earth Day is an international day devoted to our planet. It draws attention to the environment and promotes conservation and sustainability. Each year on 22 April, around 1 billion individuals across more than 190 countries take action to raise awareness of the climate crisis and bring about behavioural change to protect the environment. In 2020, Earth Day celebrated its 50th anniversary .

What happens on Earth Day?

Participation in Earth Day can take many forms, including small home or classroom projects like planting a herb garden or picking up litter. People also volunteer to plant trees, join other ecological initiatives or take part in street protests about climate change and environmental degradation.

Official Earth Day campaigns and projects aim to increase environmental literacy and bring together like-minded people or groups to address issues such as deforestation, biodiversity loss and other challenges . The theme for this year's Earth Day is Invest in Our Planet, and a series of events are planned around the globe, ranging from an attempt at the world's largest dive clean-up across the Hawaiian Islands to an Earth Day Fiesta in Zimbabwe. Check out the events map to see what's happening near you.

How did Earth Day begin?

Millions of people took to the streets of US cities and towns on 22 April 1970 in mass protests over the damage being done to the planet and its resources. Amid the demonstrations, protesters brought New York City’s usually bustling Fifth Avenue to a halt, while students in Boston held a “die-in” at Logan Airport. The environmental impact of the post-war consumer boom was beginning to be felt at that time. Oil spills, factory pollution, toxic spills and other ecological threats were on the rise, with little if any legislation in place to prevent them.

The protests brought together people from all walks of American life – accounting for about 10% of the US population – to demonstrate and voice their demands for sustainable change. The Earth Day website calls it the birth of the modern environmental movement.

What led to the street protests in 1970?

Concerned about increasing levels of unchecked environmental destruction, Junior Senator Gaylord Nelson of Wisconsin suggested a series of “teach-ins” on university campuses across the US in 1969 to raise awareness of environmental threats. Nelson was joined by Congressman Pete McCloskey and activist Denis Hayes to organize the teach-ins, but the group soon recognized an opportunity to broaden the event’s appeal beyond student populations.

The newly named Earth Day protest events attracted national media attention and support from around 20 million Americans across age and political spectrums, occupations and income groups.

What did the protests achieve?

The Earth Day demonstrations left an indelible mark on US policy. By the end of 1970, the US Environmental Protection Agency came into being and a stream of laws was followed to help protect the environment . These included the National Environmental Education Act, the Occupational Safety and Health Act and the Clean Air Act. Further legislation was soon introduced to protect water quality and endangered species, and to control the use of harmful chemicals and pesticides.

When did Earth Day go global?

Earth Day went beyond the US in 1990. Around 200 million people from 141 countries joined efforts to boost recycling around the world that year, paving the way for the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Climate change poses an urgent threat demanding decisive action. Communities around the world are already experiencing increased climate impacts, from droughts to floods to rising seas. The World Economic Forum's Global Risks Report continues to rank these environmental threats at the top of the list.

To limit global temperature rise to well below 2°C and as close as possible to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, it is essential that businesses, policy-makers, and civil society advance comprehensive near- and long-term climate actions in line with the goals of the Paris Agreement on climate change.

The World Economic Forum's Climate Initiative supports the scaling and acceleration of global climate action through public and private-sector collaboration. The Initiative works across several workstreams to develop and implement inclusive and ambitious solutions.

This includes the Alliance of CEO Climate Leaders, a global network of business leaders from various industries developing cost-effective solutions to transitioning to a low-carbon, climate-resilient economy. CEOs use their position and influence with policy-makers and corporate partners to accelerate the transition and realize the economic benefits of delivering a safer climate.

Contact us to get involved.

This “Earth Summit”, as it became known, led to the formation of the UN Convention on Climate Change and the UN Convention on Biological Diversity , along with the Commission on Sustainable Development to monitor and report on the implementation of Earth Summit agreements.

And as citizens were increasingly concerned with corporate impacts on the natural environment, big and small businesses started to feel the pressure to consider sustainability in their practice.

Why is Earth Day important today?

As the millennium loomed, the Earth Day movement turned its attention to the growing reality of the impending climate crisis with a clear message for world leaders and business: urgent action is needed to address global warming.

It’s a message that is even more relevant today. The latest report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change states that without further immediate action to curb greenhouse gas emissions, the world is on course for temperatures 3.2°C above pre-industrial levels by 2100. This level of warming would be catastrophic for the planet and all life on it, including humans.

Nature is our biggest ally in fighting the climate crisis and has slowed global warming by absorbing 54% of human-related carbon dioxide emissions over the past 10 years. Yet, we are losing animals, marine species, plants, and insects at an unprecedented rate, not seen in 10 million years . Threats from human activity for food production and ocean use, infrastructure, energy and mining endanger around 80% of all threatened or near-threatened species .

Earth Day has become a leading light in the fight to combat climate change and nature loss. As we celebrate its 53rd anniversary, we must make use of this truly global movement to act, as citizens and governments, as consumers and businesses, and as individuals and communities. Our survival could well depend on it.

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History of Earth Day

Celebrate Earth Day with these tips for helping our environment.

Our planet is an amazing place, but it needs our help to thrive! That’s why each year on April 22, more than a billion people celebrate Earth Day to protect the planet from things like pollution and deforestation . By taking part in activities like picking up litter and planting trees, we’re making our world a happier, healthier place to live.

The first Earth Day was celebrated in 1970, when a United States senator from Wisconsin organized a national demonstration to raise awareness about environmental issues. Rallies took place across the country and, by the end of the year, the U.S. government had created the Environmental Protection Agency. By 1990, Earth Day was an event celebrated by more than 140 countries around the globe.

( Learn more at National Geographic .)

You can celebrate and protect the planet at the same time. Check out these Earth Day ideas to help save the planet any time of year.

BECOME A WASTE WARRIOR

The number of garbage trucks Americans fill each year would stretch halfway to the moon. Toilet paper tubes, made from cardboard, take two months to decompose in a landfill. A plastic bottle sticks around for way longer—it can take over 450 years to break down! But instead of turning to the trash bin, you could turn these items into an awesome telescope or a flower planter. Before you throw something away, think about whether it can be recycled or repurposed. You can also limit waste by reducing the amount of things you buy. For example, check the library for that book you have to read before visiting the store.

PLANT A TREE

Researchers estimate roughly 15 billion trees in the world are cut down each year, so help offset that loss by planting a tree of your own. Trees absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen for people to breathe. They also provide shelter and food for animals such as squirrels and owls . Depending on where trees are planted, their shade can even reduce the need for air-conditioning in hotter months. How many more reasons do you need to go green?

TURN OFF THE LIGHTS

Does that lamp  really need to be on while the sun is out? Electricity doesn’t just happen—it has to be produced from things around us. A lot of times it comes from fossil fuels (such as coal, oil, or natural gas) that contribute to climate change . But electricity can also be made from renewable sources like wind, water, the sun, and even elephant dung! No matter where it’s coming from, try conserving electrical energy by using only what you need.

LIMIT YOUR WATER USAGE

It might seem like it’s everywhere, but clean, drinkable water is a limited resource. In fact less than one percent of the water on Earth can be used by humans. (The rest is either too salty or too difficult to access.) Turning off the faucet when you brush your teeth can conserve up to eight gallons of water a day. To help save even more water, challenge yourself to take a shorter shower (but still get clean!).

OFFER YOUR TIME

With a parent’s permission, volunteer to pick up trash at a nearby park, start a collection drive for recyclable items, or organize a screening of an environmentally themed movie. By getting involved and working with others, you’re not just helping the Earth—you’re making new friends too!

SPREAD THE MESSAGE

Talk to your friends and family members about what you’re doing and ask them to help. Need to get the conversation started? Get everyone together and reconnect with nature by taking one of our Get Outside challenges, or check out some other green tips you can share. The more people do, the better off our planet will be!

BE A PLANET HERO!

• In its lifetime, one reusable bag can prevent the use of 600 plastic bags.

• Recycling one can of soda will save enough energy to power a tv for three hours.

• Shutting down a computer when it's not in use cuts the energy consumption by 85 percent.

• For every mile walked instead of driven, nearly one pound of pollution is kept out of the air.

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Learn about plastic and how to reduce your use., save the earth, save the earth tips, endangered species act.

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Earth Day: 50 Years of Continuity and Change in Environmentalism

Thomas dietz.

1 Department of Sociology and Environmental Science and Policy Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48864, USA

In April 1970, the first Earth Day engaged millions of people in thousands of events around the US. Those events reflected the emergence of a new form of environmentalism. Many of the themes present 50 years ago persist, but in the US environmental issues have become more politically polarized, and it is unclear whether such value conflicts will persist in the future.

The spring of 1970 was a turbulent and difficult time in US politics. October and November 1969 had seen large demonstrations against the Vietnam war. The following year, on April 30, the Republican Nixon administration announced that US and South Vietnamese troops would invade neutral Cambodia. Three days later, Ohio National Guard troops fired on protestors at Kent State University, killing four and wounding nine. 1 This was followed on May 15 by police firing on students at Jackson State University, killing two and wounding 12. Over 500 campuses closed, and there were other forms of protest at hundreds more. The country was deeply polarized between those who supported the war and those who opposed it, a polarization that foreshadowed splits in contemporary US politics. The first Earth Day took place on April 22 in the midst of this instability, and its campaigns and the environmental movement it birthed were inevitably influenced by the politics of the time.

The first Earth Day might very well have been the largest series of coordinated political activities in the history of the US. The organizers reported that 2,000 campuses, 2,000 communities, and 10,000 high schools held events. 2 It engaged millions and garnered extensive media coverage. 3 US Democratic Senator Gaylord Nelson of Wisconsin initiated Earth Day to draw attention to the growing concern with environmental issues. Nelson and his staff, with advice and support from prominent environmental scientists and environmental organization leaders and the labor movement, led the creation of the non-profit Environmental Teach-In. 3 Many of the national organizers had experience in the civil rights and anti-war movements, whereas financial support for the national office came from mainstream politicians and labor unions. The idea of a “teach-in” resonated with many campus events designed to educate students, faculty, and the public about the war in Vietnam during the 1960s. The goal of Earth Day was much the same: to create grassroots-based events across the country.

An Environmental Convergence

Although the event was heavily influenced by the US politics of the time, from an environmental perspective Earth Day crystallized the convergence of several themes that would define environmentalism for the decades that followed. Since the turn of the 20 th century, a conservation movement concerned with what would today be considered biodiversity had remained distinct from concerns about environmental health and exposure to toxins. But in 1962 Rachel Carson’s pathbreaking Silent Spring brought these two streams of concern together through highlighting the detrimental effect that the widely used pesticide DDT (dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane) was having on both environmental and, by extension, human well-being. At the time, diverse approaches were being offered to address environmental and other social problems. The traditional conservation and environmental health movements had focused on legislation and policy. The pacifist, counterculture, and women’s movements saw politics in daily life and promoted lifestyle and behavioral change. Some in the civil rights movements and especially the anti-war movement felt that reform and individual action could not solve societal problems and called for transformational change. Scientists were politically active and central to environmental discussions because they were able to draw on experience in mobilizing against nuclear fallout and against nuclear war, which many scientists saw as potentially catastrophic. In making their arguments to the public, many scientists assumed an “information-deficit” model—that if people understood the facts, they would take action. But importantly, there were also calls for changes in values and ethics. 4

Perhaps the most remarkable aspect of the environmentalism of the 1960s and early 1970s was that it seemed to span the otherwise deep political divisions in the country. Republicans supported the environmental policy initiatives of the time, even as they had supported the conservation movement throughout the 20 th century. 5 , 6 Because of this bipartisanship, more environmental laws were passed in the late 1960s and early 1970s than in any other period of US history. 7 The Environmental Protection Agency was created by executive order in December 1970. From 1969 to 1980, the cornerstones of US environmental policy became law, including the Endangered Species Act, the National Environmental Policy Act, and a dozen laws or amendments to laws to address pollution and toxins in the environment.

Earth Day reflected these themes. Earth Day speeches highlighted environmental justice and called for government and personal action. Critiques of population and economic growth, capitalism, consumerism, and militarism were all prominent. 2 Science was invoked in nearly every talk, and most events featured scientists as speakers. Many speakers invoked the idea of a looming catastrophe, and artwork produced for Earth Day often displayed severe environmental degradation or a devastated world.

Environmentalism Evolves

Although the first Earth Day might have seeded the environmental movement, the developments during the 50 years since have shifted the scope of what we consider environmentalism. As early as 1973, the global oil embargo focused attention on energy, presaging current concerns with global issues, such as greenhouse gas emissions and climate change. It was increasingly realized that regional impacts could have a global effect. Environmental concerns sparked the examination of local issues in the context of global processes, leading to an increased emphasis on teleconnections that link ecological and human systems across the planet. 8 In 1972, the widely publicized Limits to Growth report questioned the sustainability of population and economic growth, and by the 1980s the idea of sustainability was invoked in several international calls to combine efforts to improve human well-being with efforts to reduce human stress on the environment, most notably by Our Common Future , also known as the Brundtland Report (1987). 9 And although images of catastrophe persist, especially around climate change, starting in the 1980s many environmental problems were framed in terms of risk in an attempt to acknowledge that decisions must be made in the face of uncertainty. 10 Requirements for quantitative risk analysis were incorporated into many laws and regulations in the US and around the world.

In the US, this shifting environmental landscape was influenced by an undercurrent of politics, and the most troubling change was a clear polarization of environmental politics. With the Reagan election in 1980, a sharp split between the left and right began to shape environmentalism. After the energy crisis, efficiency and renewables were promoted, but so was the increased use of nuclear power and fossil fuel production, initiating an initial fissure in the bipartisan alliance on environment. 11 Advocates of deregulation and unfettered markets, the “neo-conservatives,” had a growing influence on Republican thinking. 6

This polarization persists today and is clearly reflected in public opinion. A substantial body of literature documents that in the US, beliefs in and concern about climate change are driven primarily by political ideology and that conservative rejection of climate change has intensified over the last few decades. 12 Public opinion on the environment over time seems to reflect power shifts between Republicans and Democrats. A careful analysis of public opinion from 1973 to 2014 shows that having a Republican as president increases public support for the environment in what might be an expression of concern about actions that could be taken by the administrative branch. 13 And since the 1970s, environmental legislation has been more likely during periods with a Republican as president and with Democrats in control of both houses of Congress, again apparently a defensive stance. 7

Worryingly, such polarization has the power to subdue the effects of massive environmental campaigns such as Earth Day. Take the “baby boom” generation (or cohort) for example. The baby boom cohort (those born 1946–1960) were mostly in college or high school in 1970 and thus experienced Earth Day activities at a crucial time in their personal development. Yet overall, this cohort is no more pro-environmental than earlier or later cohorts. 13 However, Democrats and Independents among the baby boom cohort are notably more pro-environmental than other cohorts, whereas Republicans are not. Earth Day had an impact on baby boomers, but it was divided by political ideology.

This polarization has been driven by an active movement to resist government regulation with support from some major corporations, think tanks, and conservative billionaires. 12 , 14 For a century, those opposing regulatory action—first on the use of lead in gasoline and then on smoking, acid precipitation, ozone depletion, and most recently climate change—have repeatedly deployed an argument that the science is too uncertain to warrant policy action. These arguments have been resonant with conservative intellectuals, politicians, and voters and have facilitated polarization. Concern for the environment is tightly linked to values and personal identity. 12 Since Earth Day, political campaigns have sought to mobilize identity to garner support, especially by using the “us-versus-them” strategy deployed by Nixon and Reagan. This has undoubtedly facilitated the ideological split on environmentalism. So even as the scope of environmental concerns has broadened and the scientific basis for taking action has improved, the politics in the US have become increasingly difficult. In the case of climate change, although the proportion of the public who are concerned has increased over the last decade, a strong ideological split between Democrats and Republicans persists. 12 , 15

Environmental science has grown increasingly sophisticated in assessing critical facts and in characterizing the uncertainty in our understanding. There has also been some progress in recognizing that diverse values are in play and in finding ways to incorporate them into decision making. In particular, processes to establish a dialog between researchers and the public—those interested in or affected by a decision—are routinely advocated as an effective tool. 16 Such processes of linked analysis and deliberation inform the science, help shape public views, and can reduce polarization. We have learned how to conduct such processes at the local level, where many environmental conflicts unfold; the challenge is to have effective dialog at the national and global levels, where the effects of polarization are so evident.

Reflecting on the Last 50 Years and the Future

Many aspects of the environmentalism that emerged around Earth Day persist today. Environmentalism and environmental research will continue to strive toward broad, integrative interdisciplinary perspectives and toward analysis that accounts for teleconnections across the globe in coupled human and natural systems. A major change has been the growing, albeit slow and incomplete, recognition that social science must be engaged. After all, it is human action that drives environmental problems and human consequences that motivate most of our concerns. Since 1970, the environmental social sciences have flourished, but the struggle to fully incorporate them into the environmental discourse continues to be a major and debilitating challenge.

Environmental justice and the search for ways to better integrate diverse values with scientific analysis in decision making will continue to be matters of deep concern, more so now than ever before. There is growing appreciation of the importance of indigenous and local knowledge. The information-deficit model of decision making is finally being displaced by an awareness of the need to address diverse values and the utility of linking analysis with public deliberation.

It is difficult to know whether the conservative resistance to environmental policy in the US will be a phenomenon restricted to the last half-century or whether it will persist and continue to derail these efforts. There is growing awareness that, although some corporations actively resist any action on the environment, others can instantiate substantial reforms, and those actions might lessen conservative resistance to environmental action. 17 The increasing diversity of the US electorate might also dilute opposition to environmental policy given that groups whose political engagement is growing are quite pro-environmental. 18 Finally, the strong response to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic offers some hope about our ability to respond to scientific assessments of risk. But the ideological split on environmentalism came from well-orchestrated campaigns to shape opinion and policy, and we have not yet seen that kind of pushback around the current pandemic. So, it is hard to know whether decision making based on scientific assessment of pandemic risks will persist or whether the approach will gain traction in other domains, such as climate change.

Continuing the successes of environmentalism—an integration of science, a concern with human well-being and justice, and a recognition of the need to consider facts, values, and uncertainty—is crucial for dealing with climate and other global environmental challenges. Moreover, environmentalism can teach us important lessons as we engage the new challenges that will certainly emerge from the impacts and potentials of bio-, info-, nano-, and neuro-technologies. Research can help us understand the obstacles we face in decision making and suggest ways forward. Thus, as in 1970, we need to find ways to link scientific analysis to political action and overcome the polarization that has shaped and defined environmentalism in the US for the past half-century.

Acknowledgments

T.D.’s research is supported in part by Michigan AgBio Research of Michigan State University.

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Essay On Earth Day – 10 Lines, Short And Long Essay For Kids

Key Points To Remember When Writing An Essay On Earth Day For Lower Primary Classes

5 lines on earth day for children, 10 lines on earth day for kids, a paragraph on earth day for children, short essay on earth day in english for children, long essay on earth day for kids, interesting facts about earth day for kids, what will your child learn from the earth day essay.

Parents teach their children that this planet is the only planet where life is possible. But how many of us have stressed the value of the earth to them? Did we teach our kids that the earth is home to various natural resources that we can use the way we please? Or have we explained to children how much the world provides for us, for which we should be grateful? Therefore, it is essential to convey the significance of Earth Day to them through activities like writing an essay on World Earth Day in English if we want them to protect our planet. Every year on April 22, Earth Day is observed to raise awareness of the changes on the planet and promote environmental protection. We shall discuss why we should celebrate Earth Day through an essay on earth day for classes 1, 2 and 3.

Essay writing follows a particular pattern. Below are some key points to remember when composing an essay. These points are outlined below:

• Always start your essay with an introductory paragraph.
• Remember to divide the essay into paragraphs covering a different idea or topic.
• Ensure that you include an impactful conclusion.
• Have pointers about what we can do to protect and save the earth.

Here are a few lines on Earth Day for children. They can use this as a reference to compose their own essays.

• Every year on April 22, the world observes Earth Day.
• The earth is essential to our existence. There is currently no planet outside earth where life may exist.
• Earth Day is marked to raise awareness about protecting the environment and preventing pollution, deforestation, population increase, war, etc., from harming the planet.
• In particular, schools observe this day. Students frequently participate in speaking engagements, debates, painting contests, and other similar events to express their viewpoints.
• Earth is our home, so we should do everything we can to protect it from the threats humans have caused.

Here is a 10-line essay about Earth Day for kids. This essay for classes 1 and 2 can use as a template or guide.

• The planet earth is home to millions of people and numerous plant and animal species.
• Earth Day draws attention to the issues like global warming and the depletion of natural resources.
• The significance of environmental protection for human survival is highlighted by World Earth Day.
• Oceans and land on earth provide a home for numerous animals. We must save this planet.
• World Earth Day first gained international recognition in 1990.
• The first Earth Day was observed on April 22, 1970.
• Many programmes are conducted in schools and colleges to celebrate Earth Day.
• The most crucial thing, regardless of how you choose to observe Earth Day, is to do something to save our world. Each little bit counts!
• Earth is supposed to be 4.5 billion years old. Earth Day celebration is the perfect reminder to humanity to check their actions and stop further damage.
• In 2022, we celebrated Earth Day on the theme ‘Invest in our Planet’.

Earth Day is a significant day that is celebrated throughout the world. Here is a short paragraph on Earth Day for children.

The annual World Earth Day is observed on April 22. Gaylord Nelson first proposed the idea of World Earth Day in 1970. The Oil Explosion severely harmed the aquatic and terrestrial environments in Santa Barbara in 1969. Following this tragic occurrence, he decided to mark a day honouring nature. Another trigger was the student’s anti-war movement around that time. Initially only popular in the United States, this day’s celebration has since spread worldwide. It is widely observed in more than 193 nations around the world. Activities to protect the environment are part of the event. Skits and short dramas are performed during Earth Day celebrations in schools and colleges.

Older children are required to write a slightly longer essay. Here is a short essay within 200 words.

Every year on April 22, the world observes World Earth Day and raises awareness of the need to conserve the environment. More living space is required due to the expanding population. This is the primary cause of deforestation, increase in traffic and concrete jungle growth. All these factors led to introducing a particular day for the world to honour our planet. Senator Gaylord Nelson from Wisconsin had long been concerned about the deteriorating environment in the United States, and he proposed the idea of Earth Day. The first Earth Day was observed on April 22, 1970. World Earth Day first gained international recognition in 1990. The world will commemorate World Earth Day’s 53rd anniversary on April 22, 2023. The 2022 Earth Day was observed under the banner of “Invest in our planet”. Skits and short dramas are performed during Earth Day celebrations in schools and colleges.

Here is a long essay describing the history and importance of Earth Day. This is an essay for class 3.

The only planet where life exists is earth. It’s special and the only place we have to live, and it will put our very existence in peril if we can’t keep it safe. Numerous factors are necessary for life on earth. There must be land, water, soil, forests, and air for life to exist on earth. But unregulated resource consumption, deforestation, pollution, climatic shifts, and other factors have seriously harmed the earth’s environment. Earth has enough resources to feed us all, but careless resource extraction has poisoned the land, the water, and the climate while drastically reducing biodiversity. Earth Day is an important day for humanity. The day enforces the importance of planet earth by addressing the problems like deforestation and global warming so that humans review their way of conduct.

What Is The History Of Earth Day?

People first became aware of the dire state of our planet around 1970 and started making efforts to protect it. The first Earth Day celebration took place on April 22, 1970. US Senator Gaylord Nelson primarily inspired the idea for Earth Day. He demanded action in support of the environment alongside activists, students, environmentalists, and the general public. More than 190 nations now observe World Earth Day on April 22 every year.

Importance And Significance Of Earth Day

We must realise that we cannot survive without the presence of mother nature. Here are some of the reasons why Earth Day is important:

• Earth Day serves as a reminder that sustainable living is necessary for ecological balance now more than ever.
• It allows us to consider how crucial it is to preserve ecosystems, nature, and other forms of life.
• Earth Day serves as a warning to alert us to global warming. The temperature increase has brought on global catastrophes and extreme climate shifts.
• On Earth Day, we are reminded to act right away to stop the harmful effects of climate change.
• A better society could result from economic changes brought about by sustainability, which is at the heart of the Earth Day celebration.

How Is Earth Day Celebrated?

Here are some earth day activities you can do to celebrate and honour the day:

• Earth Day gathering or event: This is a fantastic method to increase public awareness of environmental issues and engage everyone in honouring our planet.
• Planting a tree or creating a garden: This is another way to enhance the appearance of school grounds and neighbourhoods while benefiting the environment.
• By recycling whatever you can: Your surrounding should be equipped with recycling containers, and everyone should be encouraged to utilise them.
• Walk/Bike days: This is a great way to reduce pollution and emissions.
• Solar power:  Solar energy is a clean, renewable resource that can be used to power homes and businesses.

Here are some exciting and essential earth day facts for your kids

• Protesters against the Vietnam War inspired Earth Day.
• The date of April 22 was chosen for Earth Day to draw in more college students, who were known to be politically engaged at the time.
• 20 million Americans observed the inaugural Earth Day in 1970.
• An official theme song was composed for Earth Day.

By writing an essay on Earth Day, kids will understand our planet’s problems and try to be sensible in their actions to stop further damage. Writing will give them a new perspective, and they will know the format of addressing such essays.

1. Why Do We Celebrate Earth Day?

The purpose of Earth Day is to honour the planet and its resources while raising awareness for the need to safeguard them.

2. How Many Countries Participate In Earth Day?

Around 190 countries participate in it.

3. Who Was The First Person To Celebrate Earth Day?

The Earth Day concept came into action in 1970 through the efforts of Senator Gaylord Nelson.

Writing an essay on Earth Day will allow kids to see the problems of our planet in a new light, and they will strive to bring some changes by adopting a sustainable outlook.

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Essay on Earth Day

Introduction

We all teach our children that the only place where life is possible is on earth. But how many of us have taught them the importance of earth? Did we teach our children that the earth has many natural resources which can be used by us as we wish? Or have we conveyed to them how earth gives us many benefits that we must be thankful for? This essay on Earth Day will be useful for children to learn more about it.

We must remember that what we instil in children becomes their way of life. So, if we want them to care for our mother earth , it is better to explain to them the significance of Earth Day through an essay writing on Earth Day. Earth Day is celebrated every year on 22 April to create awareness about the changes that are happening on earth and protecting our environment. In this easy essay on Earth Day in English, we will discuss why we need to celebrate Earth Day and let us consider ways to protect our earth.

Importance of Earth Day

Earth is the only planet that is considered to be fit for human life and other living beings. If there was no earth, we would not exist, nor would we be able to move to a different planet. Hence, if anything happens to the earth, our survival would be in jeopardy. Let us bear in mind that the earth must be preserved for generations to come and that we cannot utilise the resources as freely as we wish. Our children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and so goes the saga of our generation who have equal rights to live on earth and enjoy the resources just like us.

This easy essay on Earth Day in English will be useful for your kids to practise their essay writing skills. Earth Day was first celebrated in 1970 in the USA as a way to influence the government to take environment-friendly decisions against the rising industrialisation. But now, it has achieved great momentum and is celebrated by almost every country in the world. So, keeping aside a day to make humans realise the value of the earth was necessary. With the growing concern of global warming , deforestation and pollution, we inflict harm on our earth, which must be prevented at all costs.

Celebration of Earth Day

The main idea behind celebrating Earth Day is to show kindness to earth, and any simple measure that we take towards protecting the earth will have a huge impact. Earth Day is celebrated in schools, colleges and other institutions with great enthusiasm, and your children can participate in simple activities and share their experiences through essay writing on Earth Day.

Planting trees on school grounds or family yards is the best way to celebrate Earth Day. We can also grow fruits and vegetables in a small garden in the backyard, thus making our earth look greener and cleaner. Taking public transport or riding a bicycle to school or work will reduce the pollution in the air, and buying recyclable materials or carrying reusable bags can also contribute to protecting our earth. In this way, each of us can create a significant impact on the earth and make this day a grand success.

Frequently Asked Questions on Earth Day

How did earth day come into existence.

Earth Day was introduced by Gaylord Nelson, former senator of the US and environmentalist, in 1970 when there were huge damages to the environment caused by the oil explosion. So, he decided to celebrate Earth Day to protect nature, and later, the concept was adopted by other countries in the world.

Why is Earth Day celebrated?

Earth Day is celebrated to honour our earth and its resources and create awareness of the need to protect them. Due to many issues like pollution, global warming and deforestation, our earth is suffering. Earth Day enables people to understand these problems and motivates them to protect our earth from further harm and danger.

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EARTHDAY.ORG's founders created and organized the very first Earth Day on April 22, 1970. Since then, EARTHDAY.ORG has been mobilizing over 1 billion people annually on Earth Day, and every other day, to protect the planet.

Fighting Every Day To Protect Our Planet

The first Earth Day in 1970 mobilized millions of Americans from all walks of life to birth the modern environmental movement. Since then, Earth Day has evolved into the largest civic event on Earth, activating billions across 192 countries to safeguard our planet and fight for a brighter future.

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EARTHDAY.ORG is unwavering in our commitment to end plastics for the sake of human and planetary health, demanding a 60% reduction in the production of ALL plastics by 2040. Our theme, Planet vs. Plastics , calls to advocate for widespread awareness on the health risk of plastics, rapidly phase out all single use plastics, urgently push for a strong UN Treaty on Plastic Pollution, and demand an end to fast fashion. Join us as we build a plastic-free planet for generations to come!

Babies vs. Plastics

Governments and NGOs from around the world will gather in Ottawa to continue negotiating the terms of the United Nations Global Plastic Treaty this Earth Day, 2024.  Plastics pose serious health risks to life on Earth.  BABIES VS. PLASTICS, the first of five such reports, offers an over-view of some of the latest research studying the impacts of microplastics on the health of young babies and children. 

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Earth Day Events Planned at Scranton

In recognition of Pope Francis’s call toward environmental sustainability, The University of Scranton’s Sustainability Office chose “Sustainable Living, Caring for Creation” as the theme for this spring’s Earth Day celebration, which includes nearly a dozen events, many of which are open to the public, free of charge.

The theme is inspired by Pope Francis’ 2015 encyclical letter “Laudato Si’: On Care for Our Common Home” and The University of Scranton’s commitment to join a coalition of colleges from around the world to develop, implement and evaluate initiatives around seven ecological goals over a seven-year period to meet the Pope’s call for integral ecology and to gain designation by the Vatican as a Laudato Si’ University .

This year’s Earth Day Essay Contest, open to area students in grades 5-12, has the same theme: “Sustainable Living, Caring for Creation.” Submissions will be accepted until Apr. 5, and winners will be announced at the Evening of Environmental Science event on Apr. 18. For more details on the essay contest, visit the contest webpage .

The exhibit in the University’s Hope Horn Art Gallery, titled “Our Common Home, University Art Collection,” will highlight 20 th and 21 st century portrayals of scenes and nature associated with eastern Pennsylvania. The exhibit opens Apr. 5, with a Curator’s Lecture in the Pearn Auditorium of Brennan Hall from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m., followed by an opening reception in the Hope Horn Gallery in Hyland Hall from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. The exhibit will be on display during gallery hours through May 3. The lecture, reception and exhibit are open to the public, free of charge.

The Weinberg Memorial Library will host an Environmental Art Show featuring art of members of the University community in the Charles Kratz Scranton Heritage Room from Apr. 15 to Apr. 24. A lecture by artist Theresa O’Connor on Apr. 15 at 5 p.m. will open exhibit, that can be seen, free of charge, during library hours.

The University will host an Earth Day Fair on Apr. 16, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Atrium  of the Loyola Science Center. The event will feature University student displays as well as, displays from university departments, local non-profits and governmental offices, which will provide information about sustainable practices and products.

The Evening of Environmental Science, set for Apr. 18, from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. in the Atrium of the Loyola Science Center, will feature a display of essays received for the Earth Day Essay Contest, as well interactive environmental displays and activities. Awards for the Earth Day Essay Contest will be presented at the event. The Earth Day Fair and the Evening of Environmental Science are open to the public, free of charge.

For members of the University community, the University will host a day-long Environmental Teach-In, which focuses on topics of environmental sustainability, on Apr. 23, beginning at 8:30 a.m. in the Loyola Science Center. Earth Day celebrations conclude with a kayaking trip on the Susquehanna River for students on May 5, hosted by the University’s Sustainability Office and the Society for Sustainability and Conservation.

Related Earth Day events that were held on campus prior to the month of April, included a World Water Day event at the DeNaples Center on Mar. 21 that featured interactive activities and displays to help raise awareness of water usage and its importance. From Feb. 19 to 23 the Fresh Food Company held Plant Based Meals Week for University students. Also, on Mar. 5, the film “The Letter: Laudato Si, A Message for our Earth” was screened at the Moskovitz Theater of the DeNaples Center.

Visit The University of Scranton’s sustainability webpage for information about the University’s sustainability efforts and Earth Day events , or call the Office of Sustainability at 570-941-6267.

Watch CBS News

Earth is spinning faster than it used to. Clocks might have to skip a second to keep up.

Updated on: March 27, 2024 / 1:45 PM EDT / AP

Earth's changing spin is threatening to toy with our sense of time, clocks and computerized society in an unprecedented way — but only for a second.

For the first time in history, world timekeepers may have to consider subtracting a second from our clocks in a few years because the planet is rotating a tad faster than it used to. Clocks may have to skip a second — called a "negative leap second" — around 2029, a study in the journal Nature said Wednesday.

"This is an unprecedented situation and a big deal," said study lead author Duncan Agnew, a geophysicist at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California, San Diego. "It's not a huge change in the Earth's rotation that's going to lead to some catastrophe or anything, but it is something notable. It's yet another indication that we're in a very unusual time."

Ice melting at both of Earth's poles has been counteracting the planet's burst of speed and is likely to have delayed this global second of reckoning by about three years, Agnew said.

"We are headed toward a negative leap second," said Dennis McCarthy, retired director of time for the U.S. Naval Observatory who wasn't part of the study. "It's a matter of when."

It's a complicated situation that involves, physics, global power politics, climate change , technology and two types of time.

Earth takes about 24 hours to rotate, but the key word is about.

For thousands of years, the Earth has been generally slowing down, with the rate varying from time to time, said Agnew and Judah Levine, a physicist for the time and frequency division of the National Institute of Standards and Technology.

The slowing is mostly caused by the effect of tides, which are caused by the pull of the moon, McCarthy said.

This didn't matter until atomic clocks were adopted as the official time standard more than 55 years ago. Those didn't slow.

That established two versions of time — astronomical and atomic — and they didn't match. Astronomical time fell behind atomic time by 2.5 milliseconds every day. That meant the atomic clock would say it's midnight and to Earth it was midnight a fraction of a second later, Agnew said.

Those daily fractions of seconds added up to whole seconds every few years. Starting in 1972, international timekeepers decided to add a "leap second" in June or December for astronomical time to catch up to the atomic time, called Coordinated Universal Time or UTC. Instead of 11:59 and 59 seconds turning to midnight, there would be another second at 11:59 and 60 seconds. A negative leap second would go from 11:59 and 58 seconds directly to midnight, skipping 11:59:59.

Between 1972 and 2016, 27 separate leap seconds were added as Earth slowed. But the rate of slowing was tapering off.

"In 2016 or 2017 or maybe 2018, the slowdown rate had slowed down to the point that the Earth was actually speeding up," Levine said.

Earth's speeding up because its hot liquid core — "a large ball of molten fluid" — acts in unpredictable ways, with eddies and flows that vary, Agnew said.

Agnew said the core has been triggering a speedup for about 50 years, but rapid melting of ice at the poles since 1990 masked that effect. Melting ice shifts Earth's mass from the poles to the bulging center, which slows the rotation much like a spinning ice skater slows when extending their arms out to their sides, he said.

Without the effect of melting ice, Earth would need that negative leap second in 2026 instead of 2029, Agnew calculated.

For decades, astronomers had been keeping universal and astronomical time together with those handy little leap seconds. But computer system operators said those additions aren't easy for all the precise technology the world now relies on. In 2012, some computer systems mishandled the leap second , causing problems for Reddit, Linux, Qantas Airlines and others, experts said.

"What is the need for this adjustment in time when it causes so many problems?" McCarthy said.

But Russia's satellite system relies on astronomical time, so eliminating leap seconds would cause them problems, Agnew and McCarthy said. Astronomers and others wanted to keep the system that would add a leap second whenever the difference between atomic and astronomical time neared a second.

In 2022, the world's timekeepers decided that starting in the 2030s they'd change the standards for inserting or deleting a leap second, making it much less likely.

Tech companies such as Google and Amazon unilaterally instituted their own solutions to the leap second issue by gradually adding fractions of a second over a full day, Levine said.

"The fights are so serious because the stakes are so small," Levine said.

Then add in the "weird" effect of subtracting, not adding a leap second, Agnew said. It's likely to be tougher to skip a second because software programs are designed to add, not subtract time, McCarthy said.

McCarthy said the trend toward needing a negative leap second is clear, but he thinks it's more to do with the Earth becoming more round from geologic shifts from the end of the last ice age.

Three other outside scientists said Agnew's study makes sense, calling his evidence compelling.

But Levine doesn't think a negative leap second will really be needed. He said the overall slowing trend from tides has been around for centuries and continues, but the shorter trends in Earth's core come and go.

"This is not a process where the past is a good prediction of the future," Levine said. "Anyone who makes a long-term prediction on the future is on very, very shaky ground."

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The solar eclipse and the horned devil comet: Two good reasons to look up on April 8

As if a solar eclipse weren't enough, observers on April 8 may also get a glimpse of a rare "horned" celestial show, a dazzlingly bright comet with a scary name. 

A comet designated 12P/Pons-Brooks got the much more interesting name “devil comet” when it had an outburst, a large ejection of dust and gases, in July 2023. 

On the day of the Great American Eclipse , the devil comet may become visible to the unaided eye, astronomers say. 

Amateur and professional observers in the Northern Hemisphere will get a unique opportunity to view the comet, which is renowned for its periodic eruptions of gas and dust. 

12P/Pons-Brooks was named after the two astronomers who first observed it , according to EarthSky.org – Frenchman Jean-Louis Pons in the early 19th century and British American William Robert Brooks in 1883. 

And before that, it was first observed by Chinese astronomers in the 1300s.

Here's what we know about the devil comet and how to find it April 8 and later this month. 

The appearance of the 'devil comet'

 The comet has experienced repeated outbursts as it has approached the sun. 

Comets are composed of ice and dust and can be recognized by their long, traveling tails, which are generated as the comet gets closer to the sun and heats up, NASA says. 

The heat from the sun leaves gases and dust in a comet’s wake, creating a glowing trail that can extend millions of miles. 

The hornlike appearance of devil comet's coma, the dust and gas that envelope its nucleus, has led to the nickname among observers on Earth. 

Unable to view our graphics? Click here to see them. 

More: A total solar eclipse will cross the US in April: Here's where and when to see it

Where to look for the devil comet on April 8

The solar eclipse will surely dominate America's attention April 8, but other planets and stars will appear as the sun's light is blocked by the moon. 

The view below shows the devil comet’s approximate location in relation to the solar eclipse and other prominent planets as seen from southern Texas. The eclipse will begin there in the U.S. at about 1:27 p.m. CDT. 

More: What time is the total solar eclipse on April 8? Search your ZIP code for a viewing guide

Devil comet's orbit around the sun

The devil comet's average orbital speed is 4.5 miles a second (7.19 km/s) according to spacereference.org. It has an extremely long orbit of 71.3 years. 

Comets with an orbital period of 20 to 200 years are considered a " Halley type " comet, according to the European Space Agency. The devil comet a is a once-in-a-lifetime celestial event for most viewers. 

On April 21 the comet will make its closest approach to the sun, so in the coming weeks, it may become visible to the unaided eye.

More: Horned 'devil comet' eruption may coincide with April 8 total solar eclipse: What to know

Best times to view the comet

The devil comet will track east to west in the night sky. As the comet approaches Jupiter, it should get more luminescent, according to BBC Sky at Night Magazine .

The comet is visible  with binoculars now in the early evening sky toward the northwest, according to NASA.

People in the Northern Hemisphere who want to see the comet should try during evening twilight as it approaches the sun, said Steve Kawaler, a professor of physics and astronomy at Iowa State University. After April 21, the comet will grow more faint.

More: What happens if you look at a solar eclipse? A viewing guide for this year's sky show.

Astronomers tracking the comet since 2022 have observed violent eruptions as solar radiation heats the comet's core, according to the British Astronomical Association. During these outbursts, the comet brightened and spewed clouds of gas and icy debris. Observers have compared the aftermath to two matching horns,  as well as the spaceship Millennium Falcon  in "Star Wars."

Good luck catching a glimpse of the comet, and may the force be with you!

CONTRIBUTING: George Petras and Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY; Paris Barraza, Des Moines Register

Xbox's Latest Vapor Series Controller Features an Earthy-Tone Swirl

Available april 9..

With 20 days until Earth Day, Xbox has unveiled a new wireless controller that's perfect for the occasion, offering a lovely fusion of earthy tones with a nice swirl.

In a new Xbox Wire blog post , Microsoft announced a new color variant to its Vapor series of gamepads. The new Nocturnal Vapor Special Edition, as described by the tech giant, has a color scheme "inspired by nature at night." This is the third Vapor series controller, following the Dream Vapor, which was released this past January, and the Stormcloud Vapor .

You can see the design, a mix of light and dark green swirled in black, below.

Beyond a pleasant-to-viewpleasant-to-view color scheme, Microsoft notes other standard features you'd expect from an Xbox wireless controller: a 3.5mm audio jack, compatibility with both Xbox Series X/S and One system, support for PC, Android, and iOS devices, and up to 40 hours of battery life.

Though Xbox is not marketing this as an Earth Day controller, the design certainly evokes some nature vibes. In contrast, Xbox announced roughly a year ago today that it created a wireless controller "made partly" from recycled CDs, water jugs, and even other Xbox controller parts.

Like the other Vapor series controllers, the Noctural Vapor will cost $69.99. It's set to be released on April 9. Preorders are now available on the Microsoft Store at Amazon for those interested in snagging the Nocturnal Vapor Special Edition.

Taylor is a Reporter at IGN. You can follow her on Twitter @TayNixster.

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Scientists Just Gave Humanity an Overdue Reality Check. The World Will Be Better for It.

By Stephen Lezak

Mr. Lezak is a researcher at the University of Cambridge and the University of Oxford who studies the politics of climate change.

The world’s leading institution on geology declined a proposal on Wednesday to confirm that the planet has entered a new geologic epoch , doubling down on its bombshell announcement earlier this month. The notion that we’re in the “Anthropocene” — the proposed name for a geologic period defined by extensive human disturbance — has become a common theme in environmental circles for the last 15 years. To many proponents, the term is an essential vindication, the planetary equivalent of a long-sought diagnosis of a mysterious illness. But geologists weren’t convinced.

The international geology commission’s decision this week to uphold its vote of 12 to 4 may seem confusing, since by some measures humans have already become the dominant geologic force on the earth’s surface. But setting the science aside for a moment, there’s a reason to celebrate, because the politics behind the Anthropocene label were rotten to begin with.

For starters, the word Anthropocene problematically implies that humans as a species are responsible for the sorry state of the earth’s environments. While technically true, only a fraction of humanity, driven by greed and rapacious capitalism, is responsible for burning through the planet’s resources at an unsustainable rate. Billions of humans still lead lives with relatively modest environmental footprints, yet the terminology of the Anthropocene wrongly lays blame at their feet. Responding to the vote, a group of outside scientists wisely noted in the journal Nature Ecology and Evolution that “our impacts have less to do with being human and more to do with ways of being human.”

What’s more, inaugurating a new geologic epoch is an unacceptable act of defeatism. Geologic epochs are not fleeting moments. The shortest one, the Holocene — the one we live in — is 11,700 years long and counting. The idea that we are entering a new epoch defined by human-caused environmental disaster implies that we won’t be getting out of this mess anytime soon. In that way, the Anthropocene forecloses on the possibility that the geologic future might be better than the present.

By placing Homo sapiens center stage, the Anthropocene also deepens a stark and inaccurate distinction between humanity and the planet that sustains us. The idea of “nature” as something separate from humankind is a figment of the Western imagination. We should be wary of language that further separates us from the broader constellation of life to which we belong.

Before the recent vote, the Anthropocene epoch had cleared several key hurdles on the path to scientific consensus. The International Commission on Stratigraphy, the global authority on demarcating the planet’s history, established a dedicated working group in 2009. Ten years later, the group formally recommended adopting the new epoch. But the proposal still had to be approved by a matryoshka doll of committees within the commission and its parent body, the International Union of Geological Sciences.

By all accounts, the process leading up to the vote was highly contentious. After the initial vote was held, scientists in the minority called for it to be annulled , citing procedural issues. This week, the committee’s parent authority stepped in to uphold the results.

Ultimately, what scuttled the proposal was disagreement about where to mark the end of the Holocene. The Anthropocene Working Group had settled on 1952, the year that airborne plutonium residue from testing hydrogen bombs fell across broad stretches of the planet. That ash, scientists reasoned, would leave a sedimentary signature akin to the boundaries that mark ancient geologic transitions. But scientists at the stratigraphy commission objected — what about the dawn of agriculture or the Industrial Revolution? After all, the human footprint on the planet long predates the atomic age.

“It’s very obvious to me that human activity started long before 1952,” Phil Gibbard, a founding member of the Anthropocene Working Group who is the secretary-general of the commission, said when we spoke on Thursday. “It just didn’t make sense to draw a rigid boundary within my lifetime.”

In recent years, philosophers have bandied about alternative names: the Capitalocene , the Plantationocene and even the Ravencene , a reference to the raven who figures widely in North Pacific Indigenous mythology as a trickster figure, reminding humans to be humble amid our destructive capacity. For my part, I’m partial to “post-Holocene,” an admission that the world is vastly different than it was 10,000 years ago, but that we can’t possibly predict — or name — what it might look like in another 10,000 years.

In the end, it might be too late to find a better term. The “Anthropocene” has already entered the popular lexicon, from the cover of The Economist to the title of a Grimes album. The scientists who coined the term do not have the power to extinguish it.

Whatever we choose to call these troubled times, what matters most is that we keep an open mind about what the future holds and maintain an appreciation for the complexity of the issues we face. The scars humanity leaves upon the earth are much too fraught to be represented with a single line drawn across time.

Looking ahead, we should follow the geologists’ lead and keep a healthy skepticism of the A-word. After all, nothing is more hubristic than reckless tyrants who names the world after themselves — think Stalingrad, Constantinople or Alexandria.

Geologists will continue to disagree over what to call the present era. The rest of us must continue the difficult politics of caring for a planet that can (still) support a panoply of life.

Stephen Lezak is a researcher at the University of Cambridge and the University of Oxford who studies the politics of climate change.

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