April is Earth Month, and April 22 is Earth Day. We should be celebrating our planet and all it offers every day, respecting it, learning about it and protecting it. Recent events give us particular reason to reflect on our home and how we are treating it. The Earth provides us (perhaps better to say "would provide us") with the perfect conditions for the development of human life. But with increasing population, technological advances, profligate use of resources, and lack of concern for where we dump our waste, we are completely upsetting this perfect balance. Studies show that we are already experiencing the ever-increasing impacts of global warming: melting and collapsing ice caps and Arctic sea ice; more extreme weather events such as droughts and floods; dying corals; stressed water supplies; rising and increasingly acidic oceans; fish and other animals migrating and some going extinct. If we do not act quickly, our food and water supplies, critical infrastructure, security, health, economies, and communities will face increasing risks, leading to increased human displacement, migration, and violent conflict. Some argue that we must choose between "growing" the economy and protecting the planet...when in fact according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change 's Fifth Assessment Report study"throughout the 21st century, climate change impacts are projected to slow economic growth, make poverty reduction more difficult, further erode food security, and prolong existing poverty traps and create new ones, the latter particularly in urban areas and emerging hunger hotspots." We need to reduce our individual impact and we need our governments to act at every level by stopping the folly of putting short-term economic growth ahead of protecting everything that keeps us alive and healthy. This Earth Month we should try to dedicate some of our time to environmental education, impact and enhancement of our Planes. It is a great opportunity to observe the wonders of the Planet and to help improve it. We can make the word Sustainability our own and try to act on it in our daily activities. Sustainability creates and maintains the conditions in which human beings and nature can exist in productive harmony, enabling the social, economic and other needs of present and future generations to be met. In this very special month we might take up the 10Rs of Sustainability: RESPECT: toward ourselves, other people, the environment around us REJECT: Reject the idea of using anything that might cause harm to ourselves, someone else, or our delicate ecosystem. REDUCE: Decrease, cut back, decrease or lessen the use of raw or natural resources, and the consumption of them in a finished product or good, or in the transportation of products or goods REUSE: Recover or reprocess items that have been used so that they do not become totally depleted again beyond use RENOVATE: To repair, reconstruct objects that we have used so that they may have or serve a useful purpose again; redevelop. RECYCLE: Recover or reprocess objects so that they can be made into something useful again, and reduce the need for raw materials and the expenditure of energy to make new products. RESPONSIBLE: Mental, moral, or legal responsibility to individuals, business, and government actions in a transparent manner. Rethinking: Changing the way we think, choosing the right path even if it is more difficult, spreading the thought of change. RESTORE: Help vegetation on land and waterways that has been removed for whatever reason, and prevent degradation or deforestation. RESTORE: Restore damaged systems to their original or better than previously recorded condition, to ensure that they can recover, mature, and grow without further hindrance or damage. When you think of Earth Month, it is a month of activities, leading to awareness and knowledge sharing about environmental and socio-economic issues. During this month, there are family activities designed to teach young people about the planet. From recycling to carbon footprint tracking, these events and activities can teach kids valuable information about how we impact the Earth. There are products you can purchase that can help make Earth Day every day. There are many items you can buy that will help you lead a more sustainable lifestyle. From toothpaste tablets to sustainable bedding, there is a growing amount of eco-friendly products. Reusable shopping bags and refillable products. Whatever you choose, regardless of size or price, you'll be making a positive impact on the planet. Every little change is immensely valuable to the planet! Earth Month is a month-long celebration that prompts people to consider how wonderful our planet is and what we can do to protect it. Sources: https://www.straight.com/news/622086/david-suzuki-what-earth-day-and-earth-month-really-mean, https://www.earth-month.org/the-10-r-s-of-sustainability/,
