It’s Earth Day

The very first celebration to be called Earth Day was initiated by the mayor and city of San Francisco at the request of John McConnell, president of WE, Inc. (now called Earth Society) on March 21, 1970, the day of the vernal equinox that coincided with the first day of spring in the northern hemisphere.

The following year, the Environmental Teach-In also called its one-time event of April 22 Earth Day. It complemented the earlier West Coast observance and became a nationwide event.

By 1971, US Senator Gaylord Nelson made Earth Week, scheduled on the third week of April, an annual event. A year later, United Nations Secretary General U Thant officially proclaimed Earth Day and it became an annual ceremony commemorated by the ringing of the U.N. Peace Bell to mark the Vernal Equinox – the time when night and day are equal throughout the Earth.

It is noteworthy that the most famous prehistoric monument in Britain in Stonehenge and its stones were arranged to measure the very moment of the vernal equinox. So in a way, it can be said that Earth Day traces its way back to Stonehenge.

Below we quote the Earth Day resolution as it was originally presented:

Whereas; as Earthians we need a day to celebrate our global unity and destiny, and

Whereas; the observance of EARTH DAY will alert concern and interest for our planet – with its precious treasure of living things, and

Whereas; EARTH DAY is to remind each person of his right, and the equal right of every person, to the use of this global home and at the same time the equal responsibility of each person to preserve and improve the Earth and the quality of life thereon,

Be it therefore resolved; that in the City and County of San Francisco March 21st (Vernal Equinox) be the designated Earth Day – a special day to remember Earth’s tender seedlings of life and people; a day for planting trees and grass and flowers, for cleaning streams and wooded glens. That to further these purposes a Silent Hour For Peace (a time for quiet reflection or prayer) be observed on Earth Day at 19:00 G.M.T. That on EARTH DAY the EARTH FLAG, which portrays in its center our "Beautiful Blue Planet;" be flown to encourage mutual respect for Earth and all its people.

The Philippines became a part of the Earth Day commemoration when Sen. Heherson Alvarez sponsored a bill proclaiming April 22 each year as Earth Day in 1990. That was 14 years ago.

But to this day the Earth Day commemoration has not made any impact on the public. This is because the public does not have any participation in the occasion. To this day, for instance, we don’t have the slightest notion on how Earth Day is locally celebrated. We are just told it is Earth Day period. The success of any commemoration is how it is celebrated. The Earth Day celebration must have a direct bearing o the preservation of the environment. Metro Manila is the second most polluted metropolis in the world. Nothing is being done to reverse the pollution. Pasig River is now a sewer. There is no program to further prevent or to clear the pollution.

We hope that by next year, Earth Day will truly be nationally observed and that the celebration will help people to be more conscious of their environment.