Happy  

           Earth 

                     Day          

Earth Day is an annual event celebrated around the world on April 22 to demonstrate support for environmental protection. First celebrated in 1970, it now includes events coordinated globally by the Earth Day Network in more than 193 countries.

 The First Earth Day 

Every year on April 22, Earth Day marks the anniversary of the birth of the modern environmental movement in 1970.

As we prepare to mark 50 years of Earth Day in 2020, let’s take a look at the last half-century of mobilization for action:

First Earth Day

1970

Individuals Mobilized For Action Every Earth DAY 

1 Billion

COUNTRIES                                    ENGAGED 

190+

 Origins Of Earth Day 

Earth Day 1970 gave a voice to an emerging public consciousness about the state of our planet — 

In the decades leading up to the first Earth Day, Americans were consuming vast amounts of leaded gas through massive and inefficient automobiles. Industry belched out smoke and sludge with little fear of the consequences from either the law or bad press. Air pollution was commonly accepted as the smell of prosperity. Until this point, mainstream America remained largely oblivious to environmental concerns and how a polluted environment threatens human health.

However, the stage was set for change with the publication of Rachel Carson’s New York Times bestseller Silent Spring in 1962. The book represented a watershed moment, selling more than 500,000 copies in 24 countries as it raised public awareness and concern for living organisms, the environment and the inextricable links between pollution and public health.

Earth Day 1970 would come to provide a voice to this emerging environmental consciousness, and putting environmental concerns on the front page.

Surprising effect of lockdowns on Earth

Researchers say the drop in activity, usually only seen to this magnitude around Christmas, could help experts find smaller earthquakes and monitor volcanic activity more effectively.

"You'll get a signal with less noise on top, allowing you to squeeze a little more information out of those events," Andy Frassetto, a seismologist at the Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology in Washington, D.C., told Nature

"There's a big chance indeed it could lead to better measurements," Thomas Lecocq, a seismologist at the Royal Observatory of Belgium, added.

Lecocq told CNN that Brussels was seeing a 30 to 50 percent reduction in ambient noise since it went on lockdown in the middle of March.

The Royal Observatory made sure to note the Earth was "still shaking," just at a significantly smaller measure.

On March 27, the data from the observatory was even clearer, showing the changes in the Earth's movement.

Earth Day 2020 is the 50th Anniversary of Earth Day. Celebrations will include activities such as the Great Global CleanUp, Citizen Science, Advocacy, Education, and art.

COVID 19  has shifted the global emphasis to Digital Mobilizations. Individual activities such as education and cleanups are encouraged where local conditions permit. “At Earth Day Network, the health and safety of volunteers and participants in Earth Day events is our top concern. Amid the recent outbreak, we encourage people to rise up but to do so safely and responsibly — in many cases, that means using our voices to drive action online rather than in person,” said Kathleen Rogers, President of Earth Day Network.

Earth Day will educate and mobilize more than one billion people to grow and support the next generation of environmental activists. It's time to reimagine what we can collectively do for our global environment with activities and events.