April 22 marks Earth Day. It's an initiative that began in 1970 designed to educate and drive social change on environmental issues. Now, in 2020, 50 years later, the mission behind Earth Day could not be more relevant.
The Earth Day Network (the organisation behind Earth Day) is the world's largest environmental movement and it aims to diversify and activate environmental change on a global scale. The message at the heart of the movement is that "our world needs transformational change".
We've only just moved passed the first quarter of the year and already 2020 has faced two of the greatest crises in modern history. The Australian Bushfires and the pandemic outbreak of COVID-19. While neither of these events were caused directly by climate change or environmental damage, these environmental factors have undoubtedly exacerbated these crises.
There is irrefutable evidence that the long, dry and hot conditions caused by climate change led to a longer and untameable fire season. And we know that the destruction of the natural habitats of animals (like bats) increases the chance that they will come into contact with other animals or humans - and contaminate each other with novel microbes. Which is exactly how Ebola started.
We need change.
We need solutions. We need businesses, corporations and communities to work together to support a move to sustainability. And according to the Earth Day Network "this is where you come in."
"As an individual, you yield real power and influence as a consumer, a voter, and a member of a community that can unite for change."
In support of Earth Day on April 22, many brands, communities and organisations run events and campaigns across April - which is now being called Earth Month. Here at RUSSH, you will see us discussing these initiatives - talking about them, writing about them and sharing them with our community.
We hope to bring you fresh ideas and engaging stories about changes you can make, both small and big. As the 50th anniversary of Earth Day drawers closer and closer, we hope to be a part of the conversation in a positive way and use our voices to help amplify the call for a new plan of action for our planet.
#earthmonth2020
Stay tuned.
