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April 2024
April 2024
Why April 22?
Earth Day falls on April 22. The day was chosen by the original event's organizer, U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson (for the state of Wisconsin), for simple reasons. Earth Day was an event focused on college students, and April 22 did not interfere with Spring Break, final exams, major religious holidays such as Easter, and was late enough in spring to anticipate decent weather for outdoor activities.
Earth Day History
The DIS community joined the entire global community in observing Earth Day last April 22, 2024. Earth Day is an annual celebration that honors the achievements of the environmental movement and raises awareness of the need to protect Earth’s natural resources for future generations. Earth Day is celebrated on April 22 in the United States and on either April 22 or the day the spring equinox occurs throughout the rest of the world. This year’s global theme is “Planet vs Plastics”.
During the 60s environmental activist Wisconsin Senator Gaylord Nelson created a national celebration uniting the environmental movement. Denis Hayes, a graduate student at Harvard University helped him organize the first Earth Day on April 22, 1970. The participants were educated on the importance of environmental conservation. 20 million people across the United States attended.
In 1990, Hayes organized a global Earth Day, with more than 200 million participants in more than 140 countries. Earth Day now brings together citizens and activists from around the world to raise awareness and take action regarding environmental concerns: global warming and renewable energy. He is now the chair emeritus of EarthDay.org. EarthDay.org is a global organization whose mission is to diversify, educate, and activate the environmental movement worldwide. It is the world’s largest recruiter to the environmental movement, working with more than 150,000 partners in over 192 countries to drive positive action for our planet.
“Planet vs Plastics”. unites students, parents, businesses, governments, churches, unions, individuals, and NGOs in an unwavering commitment to call for the end of plastics for the sake of human and planetary health, demanding a 60% reduction in the production of plastics by 2040 and an ultimate goal of building a plastic-free future for generations to come.
Plastics extend beyond an imminent environmental issue; they present a grave threat to human health as alarming as climate change. As plastics break down into microplastics, they release toxic chemicals into our food and water sources and circulate through the air we breathe. Plastic production now has grown to more than 380 million tons per year. More plastic has been produced in the last ten years than in the entire 20th century, and the industry plans to grow explosively for the indefinite future.
On this day, DIS joins the entire world for a transformational change. Everyone was encouraged to wear something “green” to show support to the whole world about health awareness and innovative solutions. Plastics are a danger to humanity and all living creatures, disrupting the delicate balance of life on Earth. To build a plastic-free world innovative technologies and materials should be invested.
A week-long awareness campaign ensued. Teachers engaged students with meaningful classroom-based eco-projects and learning activities. They tackled issues like: Advocacy, Climate Change, Conservation & Biology, Education, Energy, Food & Agriculture, Green Economy, Green Schools, Recycling & Waste Reduction, and Sustainable Development.
On April 24, 2024, the school observed an Earth Hour (20 minutes) from 2:40 PM to 3:00 PM. It was only a 20-min. observation, but a demonstration of support for sustainable energy and environmental practices, and encourages other school to do the same. It also serves as a reminder that small individual actions, when taken collectively, can have a significant impact on the environment.
