On the occasion of Earth Day celebration today, April 22, the Philippine Network of Environmental Journalists (PNEJ) believes that this is an opportunity to highlight the value of our planet.
Founded in 1970 as a day of education about environmental issues, Earth Day is now a globally celebrated holiday that is sometimes extended into Earth Week.
Earth Day, which was started by an American Senator, was originally aimed at creating a mass environmental movement. By raising public awareness of air and water pollution, the organizer hoped to bring environmental causes into the national spotlight.
The urgency of environmental protection is magnified many times over in the Philippines because millions of Filipinos have been victims of natural calamities resulting from the destruction of the environment.
With the celebration is PNEJ’s re-affirmation of solidarity for all human beings and creatures whose lives are intertwined with that of nature and the environment.
PNEJ is bound by its mandate and special role as communicators to help clarify issues, explain the effects of the dynamics of various interacting forces in the environment, provide answers to every pressing question, and help explore options in the positive resolution of issues.
Drumming up issues on climate change, destructive large-scale mining, illegal logging, over-fishing, pollution and other environmental issues wasn’t easy, noting that the years to come will be critical but a perfect time to beef up environmental coverage.
The government, for instance, has already appropriated a sizeable chunk of its resources to combat the effects of climate change, but these are not enough. All of us need to do something individually and collectively to help our planet. Some solutions would be to save on fuel, plant trees and conserve water and food.
As we celebrate Earth Day today, we should take a second look at our planet and ask ourselves, “What can I do for my planet today?”