Happy World Environment Day (June 5) 2014! As all environmental holidays start, this one is to celebrate the environment and encourage positive environmental action. The governing body, the United Nations, emphasizes this important message:
World Environment Day (WED) is the United Nations’ principal vehicle for encouraging worldwide awareness and action for the environment. Over the years it has grown to be a broad, global platform for public outreach that is widely celebrated by stakeholders in over 100 countries. It also serves as the ‘people’s day’ for doing something positive for the environment, galvanizing individual actions into a collective power that generates an exponential positive impact on the planet.
This message means that since the first WED, the UN has hoped that people realize their responsibility to the environment, but also the power then have in starting to change the world.
The theme this year is Raise your voice, not the sea level in honor of, obviously, the rising sea levels. Hopefully, through World Environment Day events, the public will see that climate change has started sea levels rise, which won’t stop any time soon.
This is how it happens: increased fossil fuel use leads to more carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. The warming atmosphere melts glaciers, which makes the seas swell. Also, since warm water is “bigger,” it takes up more space, rising the sea level.
This year, there will be a “Tweetathon.” The UN hopes that everyone uses the hashtags #WorldEnvironmentDay or #WED2014 for48 hours on June 4th and 5th to promote the holiday.
You can compete on celebrity teams for different World Environment Day challenges. Also, you can register your activity to show your commitment to the sea level rise theme.
As with all environmental holiday messages, remember, a little bit of action from everyone goes a long way.
Abbey Dufoe 