Hello EcoSchools Community! Happy April, Happy Spring, and Happy Earth Month!
The air is getting warmer, the days are getting longer, and the flowers are blooming. April means the arrival of spring and the start of Earth Month! Celebrated throughout April, with Earth Day landing on April 22nd, this month’s focus on our Earth reminds us to check in and reflect on how our actions, both as individuals and as a collective, are impacting our planet.
With its inception in 1970, Earth Day has become globally recognized and celebrated. This day connects people across the world in environmental action initiatives, showing just how widespread the desire for environmental protection is. Since the first Earth Day over 50 years ago, we’ve seen drastic changes globally around climate change and environmental issues as the push to shift to a greener society continues.
As spring brings with it a natural momentum of growth and movement, we can also feel this momentum in our global celebrations and campaigns around Earth Day, and efforts to protect our planet. This year’s theme is Invest In Our Planet, focusing on the necessity of investing in those practices that are beneficial to our Earth like: renewable energy, waste reduction initiatives, carbon reduction and biodiversity conservation. Through this theme, we are guided to consider: How are we, as individuals and a collective, investing in our planet?
While the phrase “Invest in our planet” can perhaps conjure images of major players influencing decisions that have global implications, like members of government in charge of decisions around renewable energy or large corporations making decisions about clear cutting, perhaps investing in our planet isn’t only possible on this large scale. There are many ways that we can, as individuals and in our communities, foster investment in our planet.
From the Classroom to the Planet!
As EcoSchools community members, educators, students or community leaders, you may already be familiar with environmental education initiatives and EcoSchools programming that aims to nurture environmental learning and climate action. Engaging in environmental actions held by your EcoTeam, working toward EcoSchools Certification and engaging the wider community in your environmental actions, are great ways to invest in our planet. EcoSchools certification action cards like Waste-free Lunch and Repurposing and Innovative Recycling contribute to reducing waste as a school community, and Environmental Literacy and Sit Spot encourage environmental thought and deepening connection to our natural environment. Through engagement in actions like these, your efforts not only have immediate beneficial results, but are also influencing environmental action in the long term.
Celebrating your Achivements
For those of you who are already engaged in environmental and climate action, this Earth Day can be a moment to look to the future and consider the ways you can continue to “Invest in our Planet”, but is also a great opportunity to celebrate the work you are already doing. Since Earth Day is so widely recognized, it is an opportunity to engage your wider community, who may not be as involved in your school’s EcoTeam or familiar with environmental action. Community engagement through Earth Day and beyond, reinforces the notion that environmental protection and advocacy is a collective effort.
As we approach our favourite celebration, we invite you to remember that investing in our planet can look like many different things, youth education and empowerment, community action, personal learning and action. Every action we take can be a choice to continue to invest in our planet and toward a sustainable future for everyone.
Wishing you a flourishing and fruitful Earth Month!