Today is #worldearthday, but what does that even mean and why should you care?
Today is #worldearthday, but what does that even mean and why should you care?
Did you know the 1st Earth Day took place in the USA in 1970 as a mass protest organised by UNESCO with over 20 million people taking part and it wasn't until 1990 that it became an international event. The purpose of the event is to show support for environmental protection and give a voice to public consciousness about the state of our planet after decades of uncontrolled pollution.
Today is the 51st event and the theme is #restoretheearth which is supported by three pillars; restoration, mitigation and adoption. It also marks the 1st US Earth Day summit convened by Joe Biden with the aim to strengthen climate ambition along with 40 leaders ahead of COP26 meeting in Glasgow in November.
You can live stream the main event from 2pm (UK time) https://www.earthday.org/earth-day-2021/ which will cover natural processes, emerging green technologies, and innovative thinking including topics such as climate and environmental literacy, equity environmental justice, regenerative agriculture, reforestation efforts, citizen science, climate restoration technologies, cleanups, and more
Why do we need a worldwide global effort in which everyone feels invested and empowered to act?We are in a biodiversity crisis. Just 3% of the world’s land remains ecologically intact with healthy populations of all its original animals and undisturbed habitat, a study suggests. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/ffgc.2021.626635/full.
WWF and UN reports have also pointed to a 68% global decrease in wildlife since the 1970’s. Almost half of UK wildlife is in long term decline and 15% of species are at risk of extinction.Scientists also agree that to prevent a mass extinction crisis, support a growing global population, and address climate change, we must conserve at least 30% of the planet by 2030.
Our CEO, Claire Moodie took some time to reflect on this and felt compelled to share some thoughts..
“Having studied and worked on and off in the ocean and environment sector for a rather long time I am lucky to have a good basic understanding and deep affiliation with the need to restore and protect our earth's ecosystems. However, the /topic was, until not that long ago, far from mainstream and even I personally didn’t properly connect my knowledge and passions with the level of action required to decrease the impact of the climate and ecological crisis that we find ourselves in today. I was also never fully comfortable on social media and always struggled with sharing things on public platforms. I squirrelled away quietly as do many others in different ways, swerving lime-light - BUT I’ve come to the conclusion that none of us really have time to be shy, worry about what people think or be ego sensitive, this isn’t about me or any other social media influencer it's about the cause, it’s about everyone and everything. As much as I personally loathe aspects of the social media/online world, no one can deny the impact it can have on those that follow you especially over the last year when it's been our only real method of communication. So if you have something to say or share that you think is of value to others - just go for it (once fact checked/from a reputable resource). It’s not a solution but it can certainly have a huge impact.
This Earth Day is all about solutions and optimism and really trying to imagine what a thriving, healthy, stable and functioning planet looks like. BUT what does that look like? For many of us, the baseline for what we think is good is actually much lower than what is possible when nature is actually protected and restored. There are so many brilliant people doing all sorts of incredible things to fight this crisis but what can we/you do on your own patch? Have you thought about a makeshift pond, planting a wildflower patch, cutting holes in your fence for hedgehogs, letting bits of your garden go wild?
Check out the local Pledge For Nature and The Devon Wildlife Trust websites for ideas for action.
The other poignant most notable thing about this Earth Day is the focus of environmental and climate literacy
I’ve been musing on the question for a good few months now - why do we send our children to school? And does their education properly prepare them for the future that we imagine? I would love the answer to be better and deeper than what I feel it is now… imagine if we put ‘’being a good and respectful earth literate and restorative citizens’ front and centre of our education systems and everything was linked to ensuring our earth and oceans remained healthy and thriving (our life support system) so our children can enjoy happy, interconnected, conscious independent lives on a healthy and thriving planet. Having a deep understanding of the complex and connected systems that exist on earth ensures that each member of society understands that we are a part of nature and we rely on its stable functioning systems to sustain our lives on earth. Imagine if topics like the principles of sustainability were woven like a golden thread throughout the curriculum. Imagine having a global population that was ocean and climate literate? What would our world look like then?
The youth climate activist movement is continuously rising up as their knowledge of previous failures grows and they are only going to get louder and louder. They are a testament to what knowledge can do…. education at every level is by far our biggest super power and we should be utilising it at every opportunity. If you're between 11 - 18 I urge you to apply to be part of the Youth, Ocean & Climate Summit, which SAS are hosting on World Ocean Day this year.
The headlines of the manifesto will be presented by youth activists to high profile leaders and decision makers live and direct at the end of the day. Applications close 2nd May.
You can also sign the CLIMATE LITERACY PETITION which is Calling on Governments to Commit to Urgent Action on Climate and Environmental Literacy at the Conference of the Parties (COP26) in Glasgow, UK
Being environmentally conscious and acting on knowledge is a journey and it is different for everyone - the playing field is not level or fair, education and opportunity to learn and act is not equal and varies greatly around our world. BUT don’t let it stop you doing what you can do within your own capabilities. Large parts of the population rely on others to speak up for those that can’t.
YES it can feel overwhelming, yes we drop balls all the time, get distracted and it’s not always easy BUT don't let that freeze you with in-action and just try to keep it simple. Choose one action, follow it through and then move on to the next……here is a few to start you off:
TALKING is one of the easiest things you can do. Friends and family are often more up for an environmental discussion than you think.
EDCUCATE VIA BOOKS : Wilding by Isabella Tree, Back to Nature: How to love life - and save it, by Chris Packham and Megan Mcubbin, Rebirding by Benedict Macdonald, How to save the world for free - Natalie Fee, Sustainable(ish) by Jen Gale to name a few,
EDUCATE VIA FILMS/DOCUMENTRIES/PODCASTS: A shortened version of a Story of Plastic Film has been released today and the new Greta series - ‘A year to change the world’ on the BBC is brilliant.
GET OUTSIDE AND DO SOME CLEANING: Attend our community #cleanandclean events (we've got lots coming up and they are great for connecting people with our societal flaws!) or do your own
JOIN IN THE CONVERSATION: Keep updated with local wildlife, conservation and environmental groups such as North Devon Biosphere, Braunton Countryside Centre (great talk on the possible introduction of beavers to the Caen catchment last night) , West Country Rivers Trust, North Devon CoastAONB, coast wise Plastic Free North Devon, XR - North Devon and Energy 361. Did you know that there is a new ‘earth repair shop’ Ilfracombe providing all sorts of tools and information directly linked to the restoration of our planet.
REDUCE, RESUSE, RECYCLE - Our overconsumption is driving the destruction of our planet (avoid fast fashion items, reduce your plastic footprint and shop with your values in mind). Cut back on meat and fish, learn about where your food comes from. Our #looklocal directory lists lots of local options for fresh produce if you need some pointers.
USE YOUR VOICE - whether its your local mp, council or a local business, make your thoughts heard (good and bad) and try to sign relevant petitions as they pop up - you signature counts - some good ones at the moment:
We have 10 years to have any chance of turning things around and securing a habitable, healthy and thriving planet for our future generations and the life that inhabits it. This is the UN Decade of Ocean and Ecosystem restoration and we need everybody to be as conscious, involved and emotionally connected to the ecological and climate emergency as possible. As the title of the XR book so aptly puts it ‘this is not a drill’. Protecting what we love and restoring what has been lost is a key driver of our organization and we will keep pushing and striving for change by stretching our own capabilities and impact as we go forward.
Are you with us?
PS: We as a team are compiling a more detailed list of all the best, easy to understand resources that might just give you that extra bit of knowledge you need to empower you to take a little more action or at the very least connect with the very thing our life support systems depend on. If you have any ideas of useful resources please add them in the comments box.
HAPPY EARTH DAY EARTHLINGS BUT REMEMBER EVERYDAY IS EARTH DAY 🌍