Is Earth Day making a difference or just a pat on the back?

One of our writers explains their opinion on Earth Day's ability to make a difference.

Image: Flickr, MTSOfan
To be honest, I don't know too many people in my circle who really get hyped about Earth Day. Does that make them irresponsible, clueless, or just not bothered? Interestingly, though, a lot of them are doing their fair bit to fight the climate crisis every day.

Anything that nudges people towards being more responsible and considerate is crucial, and Earth Day definitely falls into that category. But here's where it gets tricky: when something genuinely good becomes mainstream, people start doing things just to appear cool on social media. What is much worse is when businesses start to use it for marketing or when political parties build their campaigns on false promises to win over some votes.

"What is much worse is when businesses start to use it for marketing or when political parties build their campaigns on false promises to win over some votes."

For over fifty years now, Earth Day has been celebrated on April 22nd, raising awareness about environmental issues and trying to inspire positive change. The aim is to encourage people to participate in various activities that promote environmental awareness and sustainable life - planting trees, picking up litter, saving energy and water, supporting environmental organizations, advocating for policy changes, and educating others about environmental issues.

Well, that all sounds lovely, right? However, there might be several reasons why ecologically active people might not celebrate this day at all:

  1. Some see it as just a symbolic gesture and prefer to focus on real actions or advocacy all year round.
  2. Some might feel that Earth Day has been co-opted by corporations or governments as a way to simply greenwash their public image without actually doing something.
  3. Many of them may believe that one day of environmental action isn't nearly enough. They believe that for true progress, we need to commit to real, long-term, systematic change to make a difference beyond just one day of awareness.

But here is the thing: this international day can still be a great chance to get more people involved in environmental issues and inspire collective action. It's a wake-up call that we've all got a role to play in taking care of our planet - not just for one day, but every day. 

"It's a wake-up call that we've all got a role to play in taking care of our planet - not just for one day, but every day."

Some may see it as just a symbolic gesture, for some, it's actually just a good marketing opportunity. But hopefully, for the majority, it's the needed encouragement to adopt sustainable practices. So, yes,  it's more than just a pat on the back; it's a call to action.

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