On April 22nd communities and individuals all across the world will celebrate the 39th Earth day since its conception in 1970. While the first Earth day was celebrated with rallies against industrial dumping of waste and the loss of animal environments, today it exists more as a community function, but interestingly enough it still reaches its main target; college students.
The founder of Earth Day, the American Senator Gaylord Nelson, marked Earth Day on April 22nd in part because of the availability of college-age students to participate. While universities were still in session, student were not preoccupied with exams or too very much study, giving them lease to participate in the new holiday.
I can personally attest that Nelson’s timing was just right. As the weather turns in April, ever university student is ready to break the bonds of indoor study and take to the streets- be it for rallies or celebrations- which are all a part of Earth Day as a whole. In my own university Earth Day is a time to conjointly celebrate with the community in what we label as “Earth Day and Mutt Strut Celebration.” Taking place in one of our larger town parks, this day is a way for the school and the community to come together to celebrate the earth, with activities like rain water raffles and booths for the local Center for Environmental Study, not to mention the draw of humane society pups and kittens, the day went a step further to celebrate the earth in the realization that the college is not separate from the community, as we so often think it is.
When we start awareness at a young age, be it elementary school or college, we foster learning, and at it’s core that is who Earth Day is targeted at; youth. This goes directly in hand with the idea of the future, the future of our planet and the future of our species. So whatever your plans are this Earth Day; a stroll in the park, a hike in the hills, or even still celebrating Easter remember that it is all in our hands now. The earth we love needs to know that we love it.
