Earth Day - the past, present and future

The first Earth Day was established in 1970 to acknowledge the state of our planet due to human activities. Senator Gaylord Nelson started Earth Day 1970 to take action against the harmful environmental effects of our ignorant lifestyle (earthday.org).  Before that, we as a human race were not conscious of the negative environmental impact and health effects of our activities. For example, people consumed large amounts of leaded gas through automobiles, and the smell of air pollution was welcomed as the smell of prosperity (earthday.org).Our planet still faces many of the problems that were an issue during the first Earth Day and some newer challenges. These problems include but are not limited to food waste, loss of biodiversity, pollution, deforestation, and climate change (earth.org). How exactly do these problems affect our planet?

1. Food Waste - 1.3 billion tons of food is wasted on a global scale. That is one-third of all of the food on the planet produced for the human race. The main reason for food waste is a lack of “aesthetics”. A shocking 50% of all of the produce in the US is discarded because producers believe that it’s not “pretty” enough for consumers. This food waste is hugely detrimental to the environment because the 1.3 billion tons of wasted food accounts for 4.4 gigatons of greenhouse gases. The United States is the second-largest producer of greenhouse gases globally, which contributes to climate change and many other adverse effects that occur as a result of climate change (earth.org). 
2. Loss of Biodiversity - As the Earth’s population has grown exponentially, we have needed to consume increased amounts of resources such as wood and oil to sustain ourselves. As a result, many previous animal habitats have been infiltrated and destroyed by humans to gather resources. This results in the extinction of many species and a loss of biodiversity. Biodiversity is what allows for the survival of life. Having a vast array of characteristics and adaptations allows one event from not wiping off all life on Earth. For example, if there is a tsunami, all of the land animals near the shore will be wiped out; however, those that can fly have the adaptation to fly away to another location and continue surviving. Those flying organisms can evolve at that other location, form new species, and form another ecosystem.  Hence, life having many different characteristics allows for its survival, which is why a loss in biodiversity is detrimental to all life.
3. Pollution - One of the most prevalent types of pollution today in the world is plastic pollution. 381 million tons of plastic is produced by the world every year. For example, Plastic is dumped into the world’s oceans at a shocking rate of 12.7 million tons per year, and significantly affects the marine life in the ocean. Over 1 million seabirds and 100000 marine animals die from plastic annually. Additionally, 50% of the plastic produced globally is single-use plastic (Condor Ferries). 
4. Deforestation - Every minute globally, areas of forests the size of 20 football fields are cut down. If the deforestation trends continue the way they are going, rainforests, one of the major types of forests, will be extinct in about 79 years. In 2019, 7200 square miles of the Amazon Rainforest burned, more than ever before since 2010 (a year of drought) due to the intentional burning of rainforest in South America to create room for cattle grazing land and agricultural land (Vox). Additionally, in 2020, more than 100,000 acres of wildfires burned throughout the pacific northwest, partially due to climate change (National Geographic). Rainforests help regulate the Earth’s weather patterns and produce a large percentage of the oxygen that humans need to survive. Additionally, they are home to over 30 million species of flora and fauna. Cutting down rainforests will contribute to a loss of biodiversity, which, as mentioned above, is hugely detrimental (The World Counts). 
5. Climate Change - Since 1990, Earth’s average surface temperature has increased by about 1° F (climate.gov). This warming of the Earth’s surface has several resulting consequences. As a result of warming, the world has seen a stark increase in the melting of the Arctic permafrost and glaciers. Himalayan glaciers have been melting at a rate of 0.5m/year since the beginning of this century, which is twice as fast as the previous century (CNN). Additionally, glaciers in the northwest of North America are melting four times more quickly now than they were in the 2000s (The Guardian). The melting glaciers are a result of warming temperatures. They have been increasing water levels leading to an increased incidence of storms such as hurricanes and typhoons that lead to disaster (World Wide Fund for Nature). Other consequences of climate change also include wildfires and an increase in heatwaves. All of these consequences are detrimental to both humans and other species of animals (earth.org). 

Although there is still a significant amount of work to be done, it is essential to appreciate the progress made. Over the years, there has been a substantial push for awareness and action against the environmental consequences of us mistreating our planet. Many protests against climate change are beginning to push world leaders into prioritizing the problem. Additionally, there has been a recent push for sustainable living, including buying sustainable clothing, buying food from farms, and veganism/vegetarianism. There has also been a push to preserve wildlife, national parks and to stop deforestation. To further halt these detrimental consequences, we must take steps and be kinder to our planet. There are several steps that we as inhabitants of this planet can take on a daily basis to help our planet:

1. Food Waste
   1. Make sure to plan out your grocery so that you have minimum waste.
   2. Don’t let imperfect-looking produce deter you from buying them! A lot of produce is wasted by grocery stores because of a consumer preference for perfect-looking produce. The so-called imperfect-looking produce tastes the same as “perfect” produce!
   3. Save leftovers! Don’t waste them!
   4. Compost!Source: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/reduce-food-waste#TOC_TITLE_HDR_19
2. Loss of Biodiversity
   1. Support local farms - local farms are significantly more environmentally friendly than the farms that feed into large chain grocery stores.
   2. Plant local flora - it helps rejuvenate your local ecosystems.
   3. When you are outside, make sure to respect the nature around you by staying on the path and not disturbing any nearby plants or animals.Source: https://sustainability.yale.edu/blog/6-ways-preserve-biodiversity
3. Pollution
   1. Recycle - make sure to do your research on what packaging can be recycled and what can’t! Recyclable materials include glass, metals, plastics with codes 1 or 2, and textiles (dummies).
   2. Take public transportation - public transportation is significantly more environmentally friendly as it transports more people with fewer greenhouse emissions.
   3. Carpool - Instead of many people taking their cars, resulting in emissions from each car driven, Carpooling lessens the amount of emissions released to that of only one car!
4. Deforestation
   1. Plant trees!
   2. Use the front and backside of the paper.
   3. Buy recycled products.
   4. Don’t buy products with palm oil - palm oil directly destroys rainforests.Source: https://www.theworldcounts.com/stories/how-can-we-stop-deforestation
5. Climate Change
   1. If your budget allows for it, choose a utility company that uses renewable energy for your home.
   2. Reduce water waste. Transporting and treating water takes a lot of energy. Taking shorter showers and turning the tap off while brushing your teeth are just two ways to save water.
   3. Buy LED light bulbs - they use significantly less energy than regular light bulbs.
   4. If your budget allows for it, invest in an electric or hybrid vehicle.Source: https://www.nrdc.org/stories/how-you-can-stop-global-warming

Ever since the first Earth Day in 1970, we have made progress; however, to save our planet, we need to prioritize our planet even more and consciously take steps in our daily lives to reduce the harm that we are causing.If you are interested in further information, follow this link: https://www.britannica.com/explore/savingearth/causes-and-solutions-2Event - Earth Day Live: https://www.earthday.org/earth-day-2021/ Author bio:Anagha Srikanth is currently a senior at Sunset High School. Her career aspirations are to be involved in the medical and neuroscience fields as a physician. She started volunteering with Women In Science in March of 2021. In her free time she enjoys dancing Indian classical Bharatanatyam, graphic designing, hiking, and binging TV.