Earth Day, also known as International Mother Earth Day, is celebrated across the planet on April 22 every year, NDTV reported.
This day is celebrated by countries and organisations worldwide to raise awareness about environmental threats like pollution, deforestation, and global warming, and how the environment can be preserved.
This year, the planet will commemorate the 54th Earth Day, at a time when pollution and temperatures are on record-breaking levels.
Why April 22nd?
Gaylord Nelson, a US senator and environmentalist, and Harvard University graduate student Denis Hayes organised the first event to address environmental concerns in the US, after a significant oil spill in Santa Barbara, California, in 1969.
On April 22, 1970, 20 million American citizens protested against environmental crises like water pollution, oil spills, forest fires, and air pollution in cities.
The protest spread rapidly, becoming one of the largest protests globally, as hundreds of cities joined the movement.
‘Planets vs plastics’
The theme for Earth Day 2024, which is “Planet vs Plastics,” aims to increase public awareness of the detrimental effects of plastic pollution has on both human and environmental health.
The theme was selected with the historic United Nations plastics convention in mind, which is anticipated to be adopted by the end of 2024.
The UK is one of the more than 50 nations that have demanded that plastic pollution be ended by 2040.
