Earth Day ‘every day, everywhere’

EVERY April 22, environmentalists all over the world celebrate  Earth Day.

Earth Day started in 1970 the United States inspired by efforts of US Senator Gaylod Nelson, who pushed for environmental protection and announced  a “national teach-in on the environment”.

Others credit the pioneer of Earth Day as newspaper publisher and activist John McConnell at a UNESCO Conference on the environment in 1969.

In the 1990s, other countries started joining, including the Philippines.

An Earth Day Network Philippines was set up as the local counterpart of Earth Day Network International (EDNI) which organized the first Earth Day celebration.

President Corazon C. Aquino also issued on April 16, 1990 Proclamation No. 553 making Earth Day officially celebrated in the Philippines every April 22.

Concerts, fashion shows, exhibits, fun run, bike rides, are some of the activities that are rolled out by civic groups and government agencies.

Proclamation 1482 issued on April 10, 2008 also declared the month of April as the Philippines’ Earth Month with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) as the main convenor.

This year’s theme is “Earth Day Every Day Everywhere.”

DENR 7 announce it would organize a simultaneous planting of over 20,000 mangroves and conduct a coastal clean-up on April 26 in Central Visayas.

Participating areas are Barili town, and Catarman, Cordova in Cebu province; Zamboanguita in Negros Oriental, Bohol and Siquijor.

“Mangroves protect the environment by protecting coastal areas and communities from storm surges, waves, tidal currents and typhoons; and produce organic biomass (carbon) and reduce organic pollution in nearshore areas by trapping or absorption,” a DENR statement said. /Correspondent Jessa Chrisna Marie J. Agua