Earth Day, celebrated annually on April 22, is a global movement that unites over 1 billion people across 192 countries to advocate for environmental protection and sustainable living. Since its inception in 1970, Earth Day has catalysed transformative changes, from the establishment of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to the passage of landmark legislation like the Clean Air Act. As we approach Earth Day 2025, the urgency to address pressing environmental challenges—climate change, biodiversity loss, plastic pollution, and deforestation—has never been greater. According to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), humanity generates 2.24 billion tons of municipal solid waste annually, with only 55% managed sustainably. This blog, written from the perspective of an environmentalist, explores the significance of Earth Day, its historical roots, current challenges, and actionable steps individuals and communities can take to foster a healthier planet. With authentic data, inspiring quotes, and a call to collective action, let us delve into why Earth Day 2025 is a pivotal moment for our world.
The
Origins and Impact of Earth Day
Earth
Day was born in 1970,
sparked by U.S.
Senator Gaylord Nelson’s vision to raise
awareness about environmental degradation. A direction shift came in the form
of Nelson, who redirected the protesters towards fighting the lack of clean
air, water, and land, following the anti-war protests in the 1960s (Steichen, 2024).
The first Earth Day, which occurred on April 22nd of the year 1970, saw
citizens of the United States participate in large numbers, with nearly twenty
percent of the population participating through activities in streets, parks,
and college campuses. As a result, people pushed for the formation of the EPA
and laws like the Clean Water Act and the Endangered Species Act. The riches of
the country include its air and water, the soil, forests, minerals, the rivers
and lakes, oceans and the seas, the natural scenic beauty, the habitats of the
wildlife and all the biological diversity, that is the whole economy, Nelson
once said, in celebrating the spirit of the Earth Day. In 1990, Earth Day
spread all over the articulate world and formed a world rally with 200 million
participants from 141 nations, helping it to turn into an influential factor of
environmental policy. Presently, the Earth Day Network, which is available at
earthday.org, provides a list of activities that include annual frameworks such
as global cleanups and planting a tree. The 2024 Earth Day focused on the topic
’Planet vs. Plastics stating that one billion
people consume one hundred and seventy-five billion plastic bags, 380
million tons of plastics are produced
every year, and 8 million metric tons of plastics find their way into the
oceans, according to UNEP. As to 2025, the official motto has not yet been
revealed. Based on experience, many events will focus on sustainability and
combating climate change, with the emphasis on the necessity of international
cooperation.
The
Climate Crisis: A Defining Challenge
Climate
change is still the most significant concern in the environmental issue in the
wake of Earth Day 2025. As stated by the IPCCC, the global temperature has
already risen by 1.1°C since the pre-industrial level, and the year 2023 is
considered to be the hottest one (Mukherji, 2023).
Heatwaves, floods, and wildfires, in particular, have been observed before, are
now more frequently happening. For example, WMO stated that 3 point 2 million
people were affected by climate-related incidents in the Asia-Pacific region in
2024. The changes are caused by carbon dioxide levels now standing at 420
parts per million, the highest in the past
three million years. Environmental conservation can be considered as the Indian
concept of preserving and maintaining the earth not for ourselves but for our
heirs. We do not inherit the earth from our forefathers, but we borrow it from
the future generations. Shifting towards renewable energy is important: while
in 2023 the share of renewable sources of energy was 30% for electricity-generating
countries, there is still a large contribution from fossil energy sources, as
stated by the International
Energy Agency (IEA). People can do their
part by using LEDS, decreasing their meat intake (animal farming is responsible
for 14.5% of global GHGs as according to the FAO publication). Yet the annual acknowledgement
of Earth Day 2025 will continue to bring more emphasis to these kinds of
improvements in corporate responsibility or international agreements such as
the Paris Accord.
Plastic
Pollution: A Threat to Ecosystems
Modern
awareness-raising campaigns regarding Earth Day are dominated by the problem of
plastic pollution, which still affects the planet on a large scale. It is
reported by UNEP that over 440 million tons of waste production is plastic in
particular, while the global recycling rate for the same is only 9% (Otitoju et al., 2023).
Therefore, microplastics can be found in the Arctic ice, the sea, fresh water,
drinking water, groundwater, the atmosphere, in the stomata of plants, in
animals and in humans. The effects of plastic pollution on marine life are
severe: 1 million seabirds and 100000 marine mammals, incl. dolphins and whales,
die per year from ingesting or getting tangled in plastics, as stated by UNESCO.
One of such individuals was the famous explorer who said that the biggest
danger facing our planet is that other people will take care of it. Go out and
make the change. Such projects as The Ocean Cleanup
have reported to have collected 15 million pounds of plastic from the sea, but
the focus should be on prevention. On Earth Day 2025, people can commit to the
reduction of the consumption of plastics hich are such as straws, bottles or
bags, which contribute 40% of the whole production. Many people may decide on
volunteering to clean up the environment; there was a record of 50 million
people participating in the same in the 2024 Earth Day. On the same regard,
there is policy advocacy, just as support for extended bans on single-use
plastics, such as in more than a hundred countries. Through posting pictures
and videos about such activities on social sites, sharing with the use of the TreesforThisEarthDay2025
tag, the crusade against the use of plastics can be advanced.
Biodiversity
Loss: Protecting Our Planet’s Lifeblood
Biodiversity,
the web of life sustaining ecosystems, is collapsing at an alarming rate. The
World Wildlife
Fund’s (WWF) Living Planet Report
2024 reveals a 69% decline in global wildlife populations since 1970, driven by
habitat destruction, overexploitation, and climate change. One million species
face extinction, per the UN
Convention on Biological Diversity.
Coral reefs, which support 25% of marine life, have lost 50% of their coverage
since the 1950s, according to NOAA (Tkachenko et al., 2023).
“In every walk with nature, one receives far more than he seeks,” John
Muir once said, highlighting nature’s
intrinsic value. Earth Day 2025 will emphasise restoring
habitats—reforestation, wetland preservation, and sustainable agriculture. For
example, planting native species in your backyard supports pollinators, which
underpin 35% of global crop production (FAO).
Community-driven projects, like the Great Green Wall in Africa, aim to restore
100 million hectares of degraded land by 2030. Individuals can advocate for
protected areas (only 17% of land and 8% of oceans are currently protected, per
IUCN) and support organisations like WWF.
By celebrating biodiversity on Earth Day, we recommit to safeguarding Earth’s
irreplaceable species.
Deforestation:
Saving Our Forests
Forests,
the lungs of our planet, are vanishing rapidly (ARIANTI, 2024).
The World
Resources Institute (WRI) reports that 4.1
million hectares of tropical forests were lost in 2023, equivalent to 11
football fields per minute. Deforestation contributes 10% of global greenhouse
gas emissions, per the IPCC, and threatens indigenous communities and wildlife (Izuchukwu Precious et al., 2025).
The Amazon, home to 400 billion trees and 16,000 species, lost 11% of its area
between 1970 and 2020 (Costa et al., 2024).
“A nation that destroys its soils destroys itself. Forests are the lungs of our
land,” said Franklin
D. Roosevelt, underscoring their
vital role. Earth Day 2025 will promote reforestation: initiatives like Trillion Trees
aim to restore 1 trillion trees by 2050. Individuals can participate by
planting trees locally, urban trees reduce temperatures by up to 5°C, per the
EPA, or supporting certified sustainable products to curb illegal logging (Stevens et al., 2025).
Advocacy for stronger forest protection laws, like those in the EU’s 2023
deforestation-free products regulation, is crucial. Sharing reforestation
stories on platforms like X with #PlantATree can amplify Earth Day’s message
and inspire collective action.
Community
Action: The Power of Collective Efforts
Earth
Day thrives on grassroots activism, from local cleanups to global campaigns. In
2024, 75,000 organisations and 1 billion individuals participated in Earth Day
events. Community actions, beach cleanups, urban gardens, and climate marches build
momentum for change. For instance, the #TrashTag challenge, popularised on X,
saw millions collect 10 million pounds of litter in 2023. Cities like
Copenhagen, aiming for carbon neutrality by 2025, show how local policies can
lead globally. Individuals can organise or join events via Earthday.org’s event
map, whether it’s a tree-planting drive or a workshop on sustainable living.
Supporting local farmers’ markets reduces food miles, which account for 11% of
food system emissions, per the FAO. Earth Day 2025 will spotlight youth
activism, with groups like Fridays for Future mobilising millions. By sharing
your Earth Day actions online—posting a cleanup photo or a sustainability tip
with #EarthDay2025—you can inspire others. Collective efforts, rooted in
community, are the backbone of environmental progress.
A
Call to Action for Earth Day 2025
As
Earth Day 2025 approaches, the stakes are high, but so is our potential for
change. Every action counts: switching to LED bulbs saves 80% energy compared
to incandescent bulbs (EPA); reducing food waste cuts 8% of emissions tied to
wasted food (FAO); supporting renewable energy accelerates the shift from
fossil fuels. Governments must accept that 23% of global GDP is covered by
net-zero commitments, per the UN. Corporations, responsible for 71% of
emissions (CDP), need accountability. Yet, individuals hold power: consumer
demand drives 60% of the global economy, per the World Bank. “The environment
is where we all meet; where we all have a mutual interest; it is the one thing
all of us share,” said Lady Bird Johnson, capturing Earth Day’s unifying spirit.
Together, we can make Earth Day 2025 a turning point for a sustainable,
thriving planet.
References:
ARIANTI, F. (2024).
The Fate of the Forests is Closely Linked to That of Indigenous Peoples. CounterPunch.
Costa, F. d. A.,
Assad, E. D., Bebbington, D. H., Brondizio, E. S., Fearnside, P. M., Garrett,
R., Hecht, S., Heilpern, S., McGRATH, D., & Oliveira, G. (2024). Complex,
diverse and changing agribusiness and livelihood systems in the Amazon. Acta Amazonica, 54(spe1), e54es22096.
Izuchukwu
Precious, O., Zino Izu, O., Frank Chudi, A., Theresa Ojevwe, A., & Chinwe
Sheila, N. (2025). Impact of Deforestation on Carbon Emissions: A Data-Driven
Study of the Amazon and Southeast Asia. European
Journal of Life Safety and Stability,
50, 17-36.
Mukherji, A.
(2023). Climate Change 2023 Synthesis Report.
Otitoju, M. A.,
Olawoye, T., Abiola, S. S., Ahmed, S., & Okoma, O. (2023). Plastic waste
management and recycling: A review. Journal
of Global Social Sciences, 4(16),
60-71.
Steichen, L. E.
(2024). The insidious nature of defence:
military-conservation alliances in the United States, University of British
Columbia.
Stevens, C. M. B.,
Bojang, O. A., Amara, E., & Msuya, A. S. (2025). Comprehensive Overview of
Deforestation Dynamics and Sustainable Forest Management in Sierra Leone. European Journal of Ecology, Biology and
Agriculture, 2(2), 18-29.
Tkachenko, K. S., Dung, V. V., Ha, V. T., & Huan, N. H. (2023).
Coral reef collapse in South-Central Vietnam: a consequence of multiple
negative effects. Aquatic Ecology, 57(1), 65-83.
About the Author:
Qudrat Ullah is a researcher at the Food Technology and Innovation Research Center of Excellence, Walailak University, Thailand. With a passion for environmental sustainability, he focuses on advancing sustainable agricultural practices and addressing climate challenges through innovative research. An active advocate for Earth Day initiatives, Qudrat aims to inspire collective action for a healthier planet.
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