With ups and downs in weather, Spring, the season of rebirth, broke out afresh after being quiescent throughout the winter months. Nature welcomed spring rains that brought verdant landscapes and blossoming flowers. Even the calendar has celebrated springtime each year on April 22nd. Since 1970, billions of people across the globe have celebrated Earth Day, an annual event to support the cause of environmental protection.
This year's Earth Day theme is "Planet vs. Plastics". It is a theme that has been wrestled with for years. According to earthday.org, the goal this year is "to reduce the production of plastics by 60% in 2040 and ultimately build a plastic-free future". Our children deserve a better world and so does our planet. As residents of the earth, we are its stewards. This year's initiative strives to rid the earth of plastics "for the sake of human and planetary health." Many educators have created lessons and events to honor the earth by bringing the message of stewardship to their students. The artwork below is the 2024 NASA Earth Day poster that can be visible in classrooms. "It is composed with real satellite imagery from NASA's Terra, Aqua, and Landsat missions."
In 2019, a 32-foot, 2500-pound hand-crafted metal sculpture was installed at Jones Beach on Long Island, NY. Jonesy the Whale has its own Twitter (X) account. I remember when it was first installed. Recycled plastic bottles were stuffed inside to remind us of our civic duty to protect our world.
Stewardship
Diane Anderson (newtreemom)
ReplyDeleteI love that you used the word stewardship and included the line “we are stewards of the earth,” which leads us to consider change for the future.
Change Matters!
DeleteIt's a fact...we have to conquer the plastics!
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely!. Thanks for joining me here.
DeleteCarol, When I was a kid we had milk delivered to our door in glass bottles. Soda came in glass bottles that we returned for refunds. Maybe it is time to go bac to some of these things. There would be less waste for landfills, garbage along the roads would diminish. As you say, we have to take care of our planet for future generations. If we don't, who will? Bob
ReplyDeleteBob, I remember those days. We had a milk box in the back of the house and the milkman would place the bottles there. I also remember that when we traveled on the NY Thruway people would throw their trash from car rides onto the thruway. At least I do not see that now. I hope my little grands become recyclers and want to save the planet.
DeleteCarol, thank you for bringing this to our attention. I hadn't even realized that there was a theme for this Earth Day. A plastic free world will be awesome (again!). There is evidence that recycled plastic is toxic waste and we shouldn't even recycle it, just stop making it. Here's a recent opinion piece I thought was interesting: https://wapo.st/3QdvqTB I hope we can stop the production of plastics.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the article, Denise. I read it.
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