On the 22nd of April, 1970, Earth Day marked the beginning of the modern environmental movement. Approximately 20 million Americans participated, with a goal of a healthy, sustainable environment. Denis Hayes, the national coordinator, and his youthful staff organized massive coast-to-coast rallies. Thousands of colleges and universities organized protests against the deterioration of the environment. Groups that had been fighting against oil spills, polluting factories and power plants, raw sewage, toxic dumps, pesticides, freeways, the loss of wilderness, and the extinction of wildlife suddenly realized they shared common values.
Mobilizing 200 million people in 141 countries and lifting the status of environmental issues onto the world stage. Earth Day on April 22 in 1990 gave a huge boost to recycling efforts worldwide and helped pave the way for the 1992 United Nations Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro.
We rarely stop to examine the effects on the environment unless we are hit by a natural disaster. The growth in population, deforestation and pollution is causing serious harm to our environment. It is about time that everyone should sit up and take notice. The natural balance of the world is shifting dangerously away from us and we should take care of our environment before it is too late.
Earth Day provides us with a perfect opportunity to raise awareness and to change our lifestyle so that we can live in harmony with nature. The younger generations should be made aware of the wonderful elements of nature, while alerting them to the problems faced by our environment at the same time.
