On April 22nd each year, the world celebrates Earth Day , a day dedicated to environmental awareness and protecting our planet .

Earth Day has become an international event, the largest secular holiday in the world , celebrated by over a billion people. It's an important day for action, to change human behavior and create global, national, and local political change .

Earth Day raises public awareness of the environmental problems we face today, with the devastation of climate change becoming more evident every day. As awareness of our climate crisis grows, so does civil society mobilization, which is now reaching a fever pitch worldwide. This is crucial to combating the cynicism of climate change deniers, oil lobbyists, reticent politicians, and an uninterested public.

Earth Day originated in 1970 in the United States , when U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson proposed the idea of ​​a day dedicated to environmental protection. At the time, pollution had become a growing problem in the United States, and the population was increasingly concerned about its impact on the environment.

Nelson assembled a team of volunteers, including universities, and organized the first Earth Day on April 22, 1970, engaging over 20 million Americans (over 10% of the total U.S. population at the time) in demonstrations and cleanup activities across the country. The event attracted the attention of politicians, the media, and the public, leading to the creation of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

In the years since, Earth Day has become an international event, with over 192 countries celebrating Earth Day and conducting awareness-raising and clean-up activities. The goal is to encourage citizens to take concrete action to protect the environment , such as reducing personal environmental impact , promoting renewable energy , reducing pollution , and protecting biodiversity .

Each year, Earth Day focuses on a specific theme, and the Earth Day Network, the organization that coordinates Earth Day events internationally, has created a series of initiatives to help people participate and take action to protect the environment.

In addition to public events and awareness-raising activities, Earth Day has a significant impact on governments and environmental policies . The event has helped promote important environmental legislation in the United States, such as the Clean Air Act , the Clean Water Act , and the Endangered Species Act . Furthermore, Earth Day has influenced the international environmental agenda, leading to the creation of important international agreements such as the Kyoto Protocol and the Paris Agreement on climate change.

Earth Day is therefore an important day to reflect on our impact on the environment and the actions we can take to protect our planet. The event has a long history of success in raising public awareness, promoting environmental policies, and protecting the environment.

We are all called to participate in Earth Day and take concrete action, but what can we as individuals actually do every day?

1. First of all, we must consider ourselves part of a larger community committed to change . We are not alone, and each individual makes the community larger and more powerful. This approach helps us be more effective and combat the environmental anxiety that arises from a sense of impotence and inadequacy in solving environmental problems. The drive for positive change is driven by many actions, not just our own . We make a difference together with others . And the market responds to our demand, so if we change it, the market must adapt to our changes and change accordingly.
2. Consuming less is the other great choice to make, always remembering that our lifestyle also inspires and motivates others to be better .

Every day, and for Earth Day, we invite everyone to make a small effort by taking on a personal challenge: what can we give up in our daily lives?

By starting to make more conscious and lasting choices today, whether it's giving up single-use plastic, consuming less water and energy, eating plant-based foods, or choosing local, seasonal produce, or something else entirely , together we can make a difference and build a greener future .