IT'S the planet we live on and is home to more than six billion humans and countless other animals and plants.
But with climate change and pollution endangering planet Earth, people are being implored to help protect the fragile environment – and one way to help is by taking action, Earth Day 2019.
When is Earth Day 2019?
Earth Day is held every year on April 22 and in 2019 this is no different.
Organisers settled on this date as it is in the spring but does not conflict with the religious holidays of Easter and Passover.
It is also said that one of the organisers, Julian Koenig came up with the idea of holding it on April 22 as it was his birthday and the word 'birthday' rhymes with Earth Day.
What is Earth Day?
Earth Day is an annual event marked across the world to show support for environmental protection.
The aim is to encourage people to do things that will benefit the Earth, such as recycling more, using solar power or plant trees.
The event takes place around the world and it is described as the biggest secular holiday on the planet.
More than a billion people are expected to celebrate the day including environmental campaigners Leonardo di Caprio and Emma Watson.
What is the Earth Day 2019 theme and how can you get involved to protect our species?
For 2019, the Earth Day theme is Protect Our Species.
Individuals wanting to help make an impact can download an action toolkit and work out how they can help to save the millions of species on the planet.
Here are some simple steps you can get involved to protect our species:
- Educating and raising awareness about the accelerating rate of extinction of millions of species and the causes and consequences of this phenomenon
- Achieving major policy victories that protect broad groups of species as well as individual species and their habitats
- Building and activating a global movement that embraces nature and its values
- Adopting a plant based diet and stopping pesticide and herbicide use
How did Earth Day begin?
Earth Day began after a devastating oil spill more almost 50 years ago prompted a group of peace activists to raise environmental awareness.
At a UNESCO conference in San Francisco in 1969, peace activist John McConnell proposed that a day should be set aside to honour the Earth and the environment.
He believed that humans had an obligation to protect the earth and share its resources with future generations.
The first Earth Day took place the following year in 1970 and marking it were 2,000 colleges and 10,000 schools across the US.
Now it is celebrated in 192 countries across the world by around one billion people.
How can you celebrate Earth Day?
There are events taking place across the globe on Earth Day and it is likely one will be taking place in your local area.
For more information you can visit the Earth Day website www.earthday.org.
Here you can also download a toolkit so you can organise Earth Day events in your community.
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