Should We Ditch Earth Day?

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Should We Ditch Earth Day from GreenPage


Earth Day, was conceived as a day to "inspire awareness and appreciation of the Earth's environment" and was founded by US Senator Gaylord Nelson in 1970. It has since been adapted by nations all over the world and many of us will remember "Plant-a-tree" days, "Recycling Days" and scouring the streets picking up litter. The ever popular game show in the US, the Price is Right, will this year showcase eco prizes for its Earth Day Special. Earth Day is regarded as the largest secular holiday in the world, celebrated by more than a half billion people every year, observed in over 175 countries, according to the Earth Day Network.

But as the state of the environment becomes a more pressing issue, should we rename Earth Day?

Writer John Romm seems to think so (sort of), with his 2008 Earth Day article posted in Salon last year and in his blog entry in Climate Progress. He quotes Energy Secretary, Steven Chu saying, "from here on in, every day has to be Earth Day." So does having a special day dedicated as "Earth Day" really do much for the cause?

Keep in mind that we already have World Environment Day, World Water Week, Arbor Day not to mention Earth Hour which are equally notable causes. What does Earth Day set to accomplish and does it diminish the importance of these other campaigns?

Traditionally, saving the planet and caring about the environment was about reducing pollution, cleaning up waterways and protecting wildlife by cutting up plastic rings. However, environmental issues have moved way beyond this now, where we all must chip in and do more, to adjust our habits, change our consumption and factor in the environment into every decision we make.

Can we still do all this with a term as common place as Earth Day?