First held on April 22, 1970, Earth Day now includes a wide range of events coordinated globally by EarthDay.org (formerly Earth Day Network) with 1 billion people in more than 193 countries. The official theme for 2022 is Invest In Our Planet.
EarthDay.org says that this is the moment to change it all — the business climate, the political climate, and how we take action on climate. Now is the time for the unstoppable courage to preserve and protect our health, our families, and our livelihoods.
For Earth Day 2022, humans need to act (boldly), innovate (broadly), and implement (equitably). It’s going to take everyone to make this happen. All in. Businesses, governments, and citizens — everyone accounted for, and everyone accountable. A partnership for the planet.
The Canopy Project
The Earth Day Canopy Project is one of the great campaigns spearheaded by the organisation. The project hopes to improve our shared environment by planting trees across the globe. Since 2010, EarthDay.org has planted tens of millions of trees with the Canopy Project, working worldwide to strengthen communities.
EarthDay.org works with global partners to reforest areas in dire need of rehabilitation, including areas with some of the world’s communities most at-risk from climate change and environmental degradation. We have also conducted broad tree planting in the wake of environmental disasters.
The Earth Day website shows that forests worldwide support vast ecosystems, with many species completely reliant on them for their survival. Forests are also extremely important to humanity, providing health benefits, income, food, and more. Despite all the benefits forests provide, they have been disappearing at alarming rates for far too long.
10 things we love about trees
Reforestation is an effective method to fight against climate change while also maintaining the many benefits forests provide. These ten facts highlight some of the social and environmental benefits forests provide, and statistics on deforestation and reforestation.
• Worldwide forest cover shrinks by an average of 4.7 million hectares per year.
• A tree must live for at least 10-20 years to have a meaningful effect on the environment.
• Forests are home to an estimated 80 per cent of the world’s terrestrial species.
• Throughout 2015-2020, 10 million hectares of trees were removed from forests around the world each year. Only 5 million hectares of trees were planted each year throughout the same period.
• Forests are extremely important to humanity’s health and wellbeing. They provide tens of millions of jobs, are a vital part of the food chain, and over 28,000 species of forest plants are used in medicines.
• A study found that urban reforestation projects improved the mental health of office workers who could view green spaces from their office.
• Forests play a vital role in regulating water cycles and soil quality.
• Adding 10 per cent more green cover in cities and towns could potentially reduce the surface temperature of the area by 2.2 °C .
• Plants found in forests release phytoncides, antimicrobial compounds. Studies have found that exposure to phytoncides can reduce stress, boost the immune system, and lower blood pressure as well as heart rate.
• 2,000 years ago, 80 per cent of Western Europe was covered by forests. Today, only 34 per cent is covered by forests.
You can play a part in creating a healthier earth – today and every day.
For more information on all the EarthDay.org campaigns and Earth Day events, visit their website.
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