Happy World Environment Day! For the last quarter to half-year, COVID-19 has shaken and broken places and people across our wonderful planet. The lucky people are recognizing that other pieces of this world are coming together. Or, perhaps they always were here, and I just didn’t notice. Whatever the case, it almost doesn’t matter, because the quarantine quiet is a moment to enjoy. The blossoms beat the smog, and the lucky people can let it fill their spirit through their lungs. I imagine, if you’re reading this, you’re one of them. So, for the second time in my life, let me type, “Happy World Environment Day!”
Okay, Wikipedia, what is World Environment Day? Could we have a blander name for a day that nobody remembers they forgot last year?
“World Environment Day (WED) is celebrated on 5 June every year, and is the United Nations’ principal vehicle for encouraging awareness and action for the protection of our environment.”
Ok, that’s cool. It’s a little general, but so is the name of the day. WED is “a flagship campaign for raising awareness on emerging environmental issues, from marine pollution, human overpopulation, and global warming, to sustainable consumption and wildlife crime.” Wow, that’s like, everything I care about. Maybe agriculture or energy could be specifically mentioned …but are those covered under “sustainable consumption”? What else, Wiki-wizards?
“Each year, WED has a new theme that major corporations, NGOs, communities, governments, and celebrities worldwide adopt to advocate environmental causes.”
Ok, that’s also cool. Maybe I just didn’t know about World Environment Day because I’m a bad environmentalist. Nobody’s perfect, but I’m trying to be better this year. Or, maybe this decade. Let’s take a look at the first World Environment Day and WED 2020, then we’ll look at my take on the state of the World and the Environment right now.
Expo ‘74
The year was 1974, the location was Spokane, WA. and Expo ‘74 was the first Environmentally Themed World’s Fair. The opening ceremony was presided over by President Richard Nixon, and marked the first-ever World Environment Day. Since the Industrial Revolution, World’s Fairs were held as public showcases. Expo ‘74 was the “first fair in decades that did not focus on the space age, futuristic themes, or utopian ideas of living.” That said, the very first IMAX theater debuted at Expo ‘74! On the wall outside the theater with a 90 ft. x 65 ft. screen was written, “The Earth does not belong to Man, Man belongs to the Earth.” Attributed to Chief Seattle.
That actually sounds pretty radical. Look at this tubular postage stamp, designed by Peter Max, commemorating Expo ‘74.
World Environment Day, 2020
Pictured below is the front webpage for World Environment Day, June 5, 2020
Oh okay World Environment Day! You’re looking better the more I dive in! Honestly, I chose this day for my blog post because I figured it was so general I could just brush my views over the huge blank canvas of “World Environment Day.” But actually, it’s pretty legit! Of course, it’s digital this year, but it was going to be in Colombia, co-hosted with Germany. The theme is Biodiversity! And I like the hashtag #forNature. There is a ton of content from WED available for everybody on the world wide web. Sweet!
I can’t believe I mean it this time, but Happy World Environment Day! I hope you learned some interesting things in this blog post for Our City Forest. I mentioned that I want to paint a picture. It’s a big picture. So, OCF and I decided it would be best to link to that essay from here. If you’re interested, please read it. Whether or not you do, thank you. Just the idea of you reading it kept me focused and provided an outlet in these historic times. I couldn’t have done it without you, my quarantine-rule-respecting imaginary digital friend.
A formerly-despondent environmental advocate’s general view on the state of things on World Environment Day, 2020.
I managed to get a friend of mine to spend some time away from news and work. Samir explored the content available for World Environment Day and wrote the following review:
When browsing through the content posted on the World Environment Day website, I was immediately drawn to articles on zero-budget natural farming, a farming technique currently practiced in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. This agricultural technique acts as a positive solution to help feed India’s growing population of over a billion. Indian farmers are suffering from the high debts from loans to purchase seed, equipment, pesticides, and low yield due to degraded soil from intense use of chemical fertilizers and contaminated water bodies and natural resources.
I think this is a wonderful concept for us all to explore, as it helps reduce farmers’ dependency on capitalist institutions like banks which dictate high yields at the cost of natural resources, along with the destruction of local plant/crop species - negative externalities that are gravely affecting farming communities across the nation. Alternatively, farmers can still enjoy high yields, maintain soil productivity, and at the same time promote a clean natural environment, now and for the future.
I encourage you to check out the article and help spread the word of self-sustaining, environment-friendly, natural, local and important non-capitalistic farming techniques that give the power back to the farming communities and its people.
This World Environment Day, let's make a better and healthier world together, and reduce our dependence on industrial, unnatural farming!