WORLD EARTH DAY 2026
By: Amb. Salahuddin Chouidhry
On 22nd April, It was Happy Earth Day !!
For the 55th year, we the people of Mother Earth are celebrating mother-nature and the
wonderful planet we live on.
Earth Day really is a symbol of the environmental movement, which started back in 1970 under President Nixon of USA.
Earth Day has always been a day that acknowledges our planet, which provides for us, and ways we can protect and preserve its beauty.
That day in 1970, around one in ten Americans marched to demand cleaner air and water and the march led to the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency, the Clean Air Act, and the Clean Water Act.
There’s never been another event as big as that anywhere in the world.
Yet, the most important thing that one can do is to wake up in the morning and do one thing that has never been done before that’s good for oneself, good for the planet.
That one thing could be picking up a piece of trash on the street in front of one’s own home or providing help in planting a tree.
One first step taken, and when done with, it actually makes one feel really great.
People can also choose to celebrate the day by going meatless or ‘no-fossil-fuel’ for a day!
‘Meatless Monday’ was a movement that was started in 2003 in the US by Johns Hopkins Center which aimed to decrease meat intake for better diet toward better personal & planet health.
To stay optimistic about the future, sharing positive information about climate crisis can inspire others to tackle the issue. It is essential to remain positive about the future even when we are faced with fighting against climate change. That’s why it’s useful to share ideas that help
cultivate collective optimism.
A little seed is fed to become a beautiful tree of hope !
Thematically “Our Power, Our Planet” of this year’s World Earth Day underscores the role of common people, communities and local initiatives as driving force for real action & change in environmental progress, coming from consistent & collective action for protecting ecosystems and conserving resources to promote renewable energy and sustainable practices.
The 2026 theme calls attention to the power of collective action & efforts which help lead to meaningful change. When focused on empowerment, action and sustainability, the theme induces global participation and long-lasting environmental effects reinforcing the precept that every action counts and every voice matters.
In this regard, what matters most is our own perception and to say that humanism is the key to self-respect, kindness & respect to fellow being beings and “Friendship to All, Malice to None” like Peace Laureate Nelson Mandela had once said and is the current Chinese policy.
