Earth Day is a celebration that raises awareness of the need to protect our Earth and its natural resources for future generations. It is celebrated annually on April 22 in the United States and on either April 22 or the day the spring equinox occurs throughout the rest of the world. Earth Day is an international day devoted to our planet. It draws attention to the environment and promotes conservation and sustainability.
Earth Day is also a reminder that nature is God’s lesson book. His objective is that through nature we learn more about Him and his character of love. God created this world plus each living thing—animals and humans—including you. The entire world can “praise God from whom all blessings flow” and be grateful for what God has done and provided for us. The fact is, every day is a reminder of creation.
The National Geographic quotes renowned cultural anthropologist, Margaret Mead, “Earth Day is the first holy day which transcends all national borders, yet preserves all geographical integrities, spans mountains and oceans and time belts, and yet brings people all over the world into one resonating accord, is devoted to the preservation of the harmony in nature and yet draws upon the triumphs of technology, the measurement of time, and instantaneous communication through space.”
According to earthday.org, the first Earth Day in 1970 was inspired by the anti-war protests and the emerging ecological consciousness of the 1960s. It mobilized millions of Americans to demand stronger laws and policies to protect the planet from pollution, deforestation, and climate change. Oil spills, factory pollution, toxic spills and other ecological threats were on the rise, with little if any legislation in place to prevent them.
According to the United Nations, Earth Day sparked a global movement that led to the creation of the United Nations Environment Programme and several landmark treaties and agreements. Today, Earth Day engages over a billion people in more than 190 countries in various activities and campaigns to protect and restore the natural world. Some ways to celebrate Earth Day every day are to conserve water, plant trees, pick up litter, volunteer for green causes, and educate yourself and others about environmental issues.
To learn more about our earth and about God’s creation, listen to regular programs on the LifeTalk Radio network: Answers in Genesis, Back to Genesis, Creation Moments, Science, Scripture and Salvation, and Sink the Beagle. For a complete program schedule for your time zone, please visit: lifetalk.net/program-schedule.
