50th Anniversary of Earth Day

Celebrating Earth Day: A Tribute to Our Planet

Today, we celebrate Earth, the planet that sustains us throughout our lives. This year marks the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, an event recognized as the largest civic observance in over 190 countries. Let’s take this opportunity to reflect on our planet and its current state.

How Did Earth Originate?

Different scholars and religions offer various explanations about the origin of Earth. However, the most widely accepted scientific theory is the Big Bang theory, proposed by Georges Lemaitre in 1927. The truth is, no one truly knows how Earth originated, as none of us were present during its formation.

How Old Is Earth?

If you Google the age of Earth, you'll find that it is approximately 4.5 billion years old, based on rock dating. According to the Big Bang theory, the age of the universe itself is 13.799 ± 0.021 billion years.

Life on Earth

Earth is the only planet in our solar system known to support life. Humans are just one of over 1.5 million species documented on Earth. In total, there are more than 75 billion tons of living organisms on this planet. Often, we humans fall into the misconception that all of Earth’s creations exist for us. But the truth is, trees can survive without humans, but humans cannot survive without trees.

Why Are We Celebrating Earth Day?

Earth Day is celebrated to raise awareness about environmental issues and to encourage people to take action, both personally and in their communities. Each year, Earth Day is celebrated with a different theme. Last year’s theme was “Save Our Species,” while in 2018 it was “End Plastic Pollution,” and in 2017, “Environmental and Climate Literacy.” These themes are chosen by the Earth Day Network, the world’s largest environmental movement. The organization runs campaigns for tree planting, reducing plastic pollution, fighting climate change, promoting green schools, and more.

The theme for Earth Day 2020 was "Climate Action."

Climate Change: The Biggest Challenge

Climate change represents the greatest challenge to humanity and the life-support systems that make Earth habitable. Global warming, one of the main contributors to climate change, is largely driven by rising carbon dioxide (CO2) levels. As of 2018, the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere is the highest it has been in 3 million years.

The Top Five Environmental Issues, According to Mr. Nils Zimmermann

1. Air pollution
2. Deforestation
3. Species extinction
4. Soil degradation
5. Overpopulation

Other pressing issues include overfishing, waste production, and ocean acidification.

Environmental Issues in India

In India, environmental problems are rampant, and there is a lack of sufficient information and action. Some of the most pressing issues include:

• Toxic air pollution suffocating New Delhi.
• The Ganges River, one of the world’s longest rivers, contains 10,000 kg of waste.
• Over 100 Indian cities dump untreated sewage directly into the Ganges.
• Indian cities generate more than 100 million tons of solid waste annually.

Our Responsibility

While we all know some common actions to reduce pollution—such as planting trees, avoiding plastic, reducing vehicle use, conserving electricity and water, and disposing of waste properly—the sad truth is that many of us fail to practice these habits. Earth is a beautiful planet, and it is everyone’s responsibility to protect its beauty, not destroy it.

Humankind will not survive without a healthy planet. Let's campaign for the importance of tree planting and reducing plastic usage.

The Bible also teaches us about our responsibility to care for the Earth. Genesis 2:15 says, “The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it.” Let us not neglect this sacred duty. We do not have the authority to ruin the Earth, but we are entrusted with the responsibility to protect it.

Wishing you all a Happy Earth Day!

Article by: Daniel Justine