Environmental Events 2018: What is Earth Day?

2018 has been a busy year for our environment. With global warming at an all time high, pollution becoming an ever-present problem and world leaders seemingly ignoring the problem, the UN has given us only 12 years to make drastic changes to save our planet.

But this year hasn’t been all doom and gloom for our environment. The Ocean Cleanup Project was launched, the EU banned single-use plastics and we’ve had countless events to raise awareness of the problem.

To focus on the positives, we’re taking a look at some of the biggest environmental events of the year. Who organises the events? Where did they come from? How are they making a difference? We’re kicking things off with the longest-standing environmental event – Earth Day.

A long history

The first Earth Day was celebrated almost 50 years ago in 1970, founded by United States Senator Gaylord Nelson, as an environmental teach-in held on April 22^nd. This was the start of an annual celebration and support event around the world to help protect the environment.

Originally, Earth Day was only celebrated nationally, in the US. But in 1990, Denis Hayes, who was the original coordinator of the event in 1970, took the day international and organised events in 141 nations around the world.

Earth Day 2016 saw the landmark Paris Agreement signed by over 120 countries. Under this agreement, each nation must determine, plan and regularly report on their contribution to reduce global warming.

Earth Day 2018

Each Earth Day focuses primarily on one environmental concern. 2018’s focus was on ending plastic pollution. From harming and killing marine life to littering our landscapes with non-degradable plastics, the ever-growing consumption of plastic is threatening the survival of Earth.

The plan to eliminate plastic pollution includes educating, supporting and empowering a variety of people and organisations across the world. Whether it’s informing individuals of their own responsibility to reduce plastic pollution or empowering journalists to report on the problem, the aim of Earth Day is to encourage change.

50-year anniversary

As we near 2020, the 50-year anniversary of Earth Day, efforts are doubling to make a difference. Co-ordinators are working hard in preparation of the event to make it the most diverse global mobilisation in defence of the environment in the world’s history.

Sign up to keep up-to-date with progress and discover how you can get involved.

Global events

Earth Day is just one of the life-changing, worldwide events that took place this year. Be sure to check out for the upcoming posts all about the other events to note in your diary for 2019, including our next post on World Cleanup Day. Alternatively, take a look at the article ‘From soul to heavy metal – the role of analytical instrumentation and specialty gases in environmental water analysis’, which discusses the quality of water in our environment.