Earth Day: Cleaner earth, greener earth

Speakers call for spreading awareness on environmental issues

LAHORE: Earth Day was observed across the globe including Pakistan on Sunday. Special events and awareness walks were organised on the day in the provincial capital and other districts of Punjab to inculcate environmental awareness and responsibilities among the masses.

On the occasion, several organisations also expressed their determination to protect the environment. Speakers at the events highlighted that with collaborative efforts, improvements in the health, education on environment and water can be made possible.

They urged the masses to play their role in resolving the local and international environmental issues and for making the environment clean, healthy and pleasant. Earth Day is commemorated every year to raise awareness among the masses about the natural environment and to educate the new generation about making the environment better.

The day was first celebrated in 1970 and now, annually, the Earth Day Network organises the day in over 192 countries.

In 1969, the peace activists John McConnell, with the thought of raising the idea of peace for Earth, proposed celebrating a day at the UNESCO Conference held in San Francisco and suggested celebrating the day on March 21 (on the first day of the spring of the Northern Hampshire).

Later, he wrote out the announcement, which was signed by the UN Secretary General Othan. After a month, Senator Gaylord Anton Nelson founded a new Earth Day with the aim of inculcating environmental education, which was celebrated on April 22, 1970.

The institution spread globally till 1990. Eventually, arrangements across 141 countries were made to celebrate the day.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 23^rd, 2018.