The Source - 2020 Lockdown

READING ROOM
Every year, April 22 marks the anniversary
of the birth of the modern
environmental movement in 1970.
This year, we celebrate 50 years of
Earth Day. What is Earth Day? This
is a very befitting question for our
generation today. Earth day is about
appreciating the uniqueness of our
planet Earth with its incredible and
dynamic diversity. The purpose of
this day is to increase awareness on
protecting planet earth by encouraging
people to ‘go green’. That is
to buy green products and focus on
the Reduce, Recycle and Reuse (the
“3 R’s”) in fighting against global
warming. In 1970, on April 22nd, a
public awareness was given about
the state of our planet’s environment
and raise awareness to pollution.
Earth Day is usually observed
worldwide with conferences, outdoor
activities, rallies and service
projects. When Earth Day started,
there was public support for the creation
of the Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) and contributed
to the passage of the Clean Air Act,
the Water Quality Improvement Act,
the Endangered Species Act and
several others environmental laws.
Earth Day was proposed by the late
Senator Gaylord Nelson Wisconsin
who died in 2005. After seeing the
damage caused by a 1969 oil spill
in Santa Barbara, California, Nelson
was inspired to organize a national
‘teach-in’ focusing on public education
about the environment. The
oil spill brought a lot of protests and
fury at protecting the environment
better. Groups that had previously
been fighting pollution, loss of
EARTH DAY
wilderness and wildlife extinction
(to mention just a few), used this as
a platform to gather together in one
accord to defend the earth. In the decades
before Earth Day, there was
a lot of pollution through massive
and inefficient automobiles. Industries
belched out smoke and sludge
with no fear of the consequences that
would be faces from the law or the
press. Air pollution was deemed a
‘smell of prosperity’. Earth Day 1970
came to provide a voice to the emerging
environmental consciousness and
aided the movement to put environmental
concerns first.
The History of Earth Day. Earth Day
has gained a lot of significance. With
the growing food shortages, rocketing
fuel prices, increased global
warming and changing weather patterns,
people have taken keen interest
in learning how they can do their part
in caring for the environment and
planet.
Patricia Odani
Patricia Odani, (SA, CompTIA Security, CyberArk Trusted
Advisor) is a Cyber Security Analyst for a Fortune 50 company.
She has diversified skills in management, leadership, and
Agile delivery methods. She is currently pursuing a Masters
in Cybersecurity as well as serving on various cybersecurity
committees on her company’s campus. She gives back to her
community by mentoring young technologists entering the
workforce and by writing insightful pieces on cybersecurity
best practices for public edification.
Both adults and children have learned
strategic ways of adopting lifestyles
that ensure cleaner environments are
maintained. Earth day is important
because it reminds people to think
about humanity’s values, the threats
that the planet is constantly under due
to the mismanagement of waste, and
how to continually protect the environment.
Each year, corporations and
activists create new projects, initiatives
and campaigns to protest and
restore the earth. There are several
Ideas that can be observed world
wide in commemoration of Earth
Day. Promote understanding of important
environmental issues so that
there is more awareness of the need
to care for the environment. Make
a commitment to a service, for example,
planting a tree, or helping to
clean a local garden or park. Picking
up discarded non-bio-degradable bottles
and recycling it. Aim to maintain
clean water by not polluting in the
community you are in. Turn off lights
when not in use. Go paperless. Earth
Day can also be celebrated at schools.
Young children should also be involved
in protecting the earth. Some
examples of how to get children and
schools involved include creating
bulletin boards in the classroom using
recycled materials with the aim of
teaching children to recycle at home.
Students can also help other students
recycle and be aware of ways to recycle
with the use of poster projects.
Students can also find ways to make
their home environmentally friendly
by practicing good recycling habits at
home. Children can also participate
in activities like picking up trash on
their school grounds, or in their communities.
They can also participate in
planting trees. There are several ways
to celebrate Earth Day, everyday of
the year, not limiting it to April 22.
Everyone has a chance and a right to
participate in keeping the environments
clean and safe.
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