DENR celebrates Earth Day

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has lined up a number of activities for a two-day celebration of Earth Day.

Today, there will be a marathon from Fort Bonifacio to Taguig starting at 5 a.m. Similar activities will be held in the cities of Baguio, Lipa, Cebu and Davao.

On April 22, Earth Day ceremonies will be held at the Malacañang Park and Makati Park and Garden. There will be a cutting of the ceremonial ribbon at the Eco-Waste Kabuhayan Exhibit on recycled livelihood products, to be led by Executive Secretary Alberto G. Romulo and DENR Secretary Heherson T. Alvarez. Lectures on major environmental concerns, such as climate change, Clean Air Act, ecological solid waste management and the Montreal Protocol, will be conducted.

Earth Day started in 1961 in America when then Sen. Gaylord Nelson proposed a nationwide "environmental teach-in" in American colleges to dramatize his concern over the plight of the country’s environment. The proposal was widely supported initially by the youth sector and later, by other sectors of society.

Eventually in 1970, Nelson proclaimed April 22 as Earth Day. It was considered as one of the more remarkable happenings in America. In 1995, then President Bill Clinton acknowledged Nelson as the father of Earth Day.

To ensure the continuity of people’s enthusiasm in celebrating Earth Day, Hayes coordinated America’s Earth Day celebration and tailored a strategy for this purpose. Hayes later became the chairman of Earth Day 1990 when it was launched in 141 countries.

One of the 1990’s celebration was the creation of an atmosphere that paved the way to the UN Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro. The Summit was able to come up with measures to address climate change and protection of biodiversity.

Earth Day being an international affair is also celebrated by the United Nations. In the Proclamation written by John Mc. Connell and signed by then US Secretary General U Thant, Earth Day was to be an annual event. John Mc Connell was a pioneer in efforts to make the earth a liveable place, exerting extensive efforts in putting public health and environment a top priority in America. The observance of Earth Day though, was set every March 21 – on the Equinox, when night and day are equal throughout the earth. One of the highlights of UN’s celebration is the ringing of the Peace Bell which is made from coins given by school children of Japan to promote peace in our planet.

Earth Day celebrations all over the world has a common message, that is, to take care of the earth because it is the only planet where we and the future generations can live.