To celebrate Earth Day this year, we wanted to shine light upon the importance of this movement. 51 years ago the first Earth Day took place. 20 million people took to streets across the US to stand up for our planet. Earth Day is the world’s most widely observed secular holiday. This year’s theme, “Restore Our Earth,” encourages optimistic outlooks on our ability to incite real, positive change. After a year burdened with a pandemic and climate consequences, from wildfires to hurricanes to record temperatures, restoring the planet - our planet - is all the more vital. It focuses on steps such as implementing green technologies, sustainable practices, and helping communities that climate change affects the most in order to slow the process of climate change.
Earlier this year, I listened to a podcast interview during which the guest argued that a single person choosing to recycle or reduce carbon emissions has virtually no effect. This upset me; of course one person isn’t going to save the world. It’s when the small actions of every person accumulate that cause real change. Teamwork! Everyone learned about the importance of teamwork on their first day of school. It’s Team Human now, and ALL of us are on it. We’re not here to list devastating data about climate change or make you feel guilty; we merely want to make you believe that yes, you CAN make a difference. We challenge you to be a good teammate and do what you can to give back to this beautiful Earth we live on. Because every little thing matters.
By now you might be asking yourself: what can I do? Perhaps you already consider yourself an environmental whizz, but no matter where you may lie on the spectrum, growth is always possible. If you’re hoping to adopt better habits, here are some great resources:
Leave No Trace: An international education and nonprofit organization, LNT amplifies the movement to practice Leave No Trace when visiting the outdoors. We are excited to announce our new partnership with Leave No Trace! Head to the About Page to learn more.
EARTHDAY.ORG: Today, EARTHDAY.ORG is holding a global climate summit, one part of a three-day virtual climate event. Check out this site for information on live-streamed events and how to get involved.
Kind Traveler: It is no secret that Kind Traveler is a brand we greatly respect. A socially conscious hotel booking platform, they support sustainable travel by allowing people to make a tangible impact on the places they visit.
7 Tips to Travel More Sustainably: This article is one I personally love - it condenses seven of the most effective (and easy) ways to travel with an environmentally friendly mindset.
Ben and Jerry’s: Hear from the ice cream virtuosos about “5 Reasons Why 2021 is the Most Important Year Ever in the Fight Against Climate Change.” I highly recommend taking a few minutes to read and share this eye-opening article!
Let today serve as a reminder and source of motivation to take the little steps - and big ones - to protect our Earth. Because even if you don’t notice immediate shifts, you will in the long run. It’s past time that we, as individuals and as humankind, recognize the severity of this planet’s condition and vow to each do our part on Team Human. The first step is shifting our mindsets to ones of optimism, so on this Earth Day 2021, we challenge you to do just that.
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