Earth Day 2019
In nature, nothing exists alone.”
Rachel Carson, 1962
On April 22, 1970, millions of people joined together to protest the negative effects of pollution, deforestation, and other consequences of 150 years of industrial development.
Next year will be the 50 year anniversary of Earth Day. This global event inspires over 1 billion people in 192 countries around the world to take part in the largest civic-focused day of action in the world.
In a day and time when community participation is being heavily emphasized for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, this may be a perfect opportunity to join together in civic harmony with many others to make a difference. This type of civic action can not only more firmly establish a place for people with disabilities to share their heart and their passion, but also establish themselves as integral and important members of the community who have a lot to contribute. This meets many needs on many levels, and can all be accomplished in the service of something really important, our planet!
Every year Earth Day focuses on a particular theme. All around the world, lessons are taught in schools, activities are coordinated in communities, people march, sign petitions, meet with their elected officials, plant trees, and clean up their towns and roads.
This year’s theme is Protect Our Species.
A number of animals and plants have gone extinct in recent centuries due to human activity, especially since the industrial revolution. Many others are in serious decline and threatened with extinction. If we do not act now, extinction may be humanity’s most enduring legacy.
All living things have an intrinsic value, and each plays a unique role in the complex web of life. We must work together to protect the endangered and threatened species: bees, coral reefs, elephants, giraffes, insects, whales and more.
The good news is that the rate of extinctions can still be slowed; many of the declining, threatened, and endangered species can still recover. The bald eagle has made a triumphant return after nearly disappearing from most of the United States decades ago. The Giant Panda Bear, The Yellowstone Grizzly Bear, The Arabian Oryx, The Gray Wolf, The Steller Sea Lion, The Gray Whale, and The Snow Leopard are just a few more of the species that have made it off the endangered list, and are back in nature where they belong.
So now is the call to action. The call of the wild, if you will. This is an equal opportunity for all to come together in the service of something greater than yourself. CEO’s and CFO’s, Parents and Children, Direct Support Professionals, Supports Coordinators, Program Specialists, Program Directors, Administrative Assistants, and Individuals receiving services. Now is the time to create a plan. There is a little less than a month left until Earth Day 2019. What are you going to do?
A quick visit to the website: www.earthday.org/earthdayinabox/ will provide readers with an opportunity to learn more about what you can do to mobilize your efforts towards planet conservation. There are toolkits that can be downloaded such as the Protect Our Species Primer and Action Toolkit (https://160g7a3snajg2i1r662yjd5r-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/protectourspeciesprimerandactiontoolkit.pdf) and for the more ambitious who really want to involve the community there is the Earth Day 2019 Organizers Toolkit (https://160g7a3snajg2i1r662yjd5r-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2019-Earth-Day-Action-Toolkit-Final.pdf).
So please, check in with your local community environmental centers or community centers to inquire about upcoming Earth Day events and activities. If they don’t have anything set up yet, now is the time that with your support, people with disabilities can help be a part of leading the campaign. And in the meantime we can all follow a few of these simple Earth Day tips to make Earth Day 2019 a day to remember!
- Join Earth Day Network’s campaign to Protect Our Species
- Plant a tree
- Join a local park, river or roadway clean-up
- Use environmentally-friendly, non-toxic cleaning products
- Stop/Reduce use of disposable plastics, especially single-use plastics like bottles, bags and straws.
- Recycle
- Use reusable bottles for water, mugs for coffee, bags when you shop, pack your lunch etc…
- Grow your own organic garden or join a farm-share group
- Compost kitchen scraps for use in your garden – turn waste into fertilizer
- Volunteer for a local environmental group
For the full list of Earth Day tips please follow https://www.earthday.org/earth-day-tips/
