Efforts to create a cleaner and more sustainable environment can be observed globally on April 22, the holiday serving as a stark reminder to realize the power of community.
As companies turn to greenwashing and politicians turn a blind eye to the situation at hand, we must recognize the holiday’s true meaning.
Earth Day began as a protest against environmental apathy and the kind of pollution that’s hard to ignore. The efforts to shed awareness on the earth’s declining state were widespread, including school walk outs, legislative lobbying, and more.
Today, the holiday continues to roll around every year on April 22, however the tone seems to have shifted. A movement that began as an unapologetic cry for reform has appeared to become a passive tradition.
It seems like the day serves merely as a platform for the “eco-friendly” culture promoted by large scale corporations, rather than the powerful resistance it once was. The “greenwashing” trend has become unavoidable in recent years. Companies portray a false concern towards the environment, which is often just a tricky sales strategy.
On a national level, in the present political landscape, conservationist initiatives have come under attack. According to the NRDC, the current administration has “taken or proposed at least 460 actions that directly threaten the environment, climate, and human health.”
Despite the larger forces driving environmental regression, and beyond greenwashed corporate facades, real progress is being made. Locally, students are finding ways to celebrate the true meaning of Earth Day.
Junior Shannon Murphy is taking the initiative in her advanced childhood class to inform the younger generation about the holiday, in an accessible way. Sowing seeds of environmental activism in our future changemakers, Murphy hopes her lesson will leave a lasting impression.
“In my childhood class we do themes of the week, and our theme is Earth Day,” Murphy said. “I’m having the kids make an art project and teaching them about litter. I hope the kids understand that it’s important… that they have a big impact.”
Outside of the classroom, Sophomore Ezra Peltzman and his family continue their longstanding service-based tradition.
“Usually I go into the Crumb Creek woods and I walk around and try to pick up any trash that I can see,” Peltzman said. “Our whole family goes down, It’s probably been at least five years now.”
He is driven by the belief that every action matters, no matter the size.
“It’s good to make an impact, regardless of how small it is. If we all did that, then Earth would be a better place,” Peltzman said.
On a broader scale, environmental club Green Haven offers students opportunities to become involved in the interest of our earth not only on Earth Day, but year round. This year they have organized a pot painting initiative on April 22 to commemorate the holiday.
In their efforts to do their part, Haven students echo the original values which Earth Day was founded upon. It’s the diligent attitude that “together we have an impact” that reminds us what the powerful holiday is meant to signify and allows us to see past modern day challenges.
Infobox reporting by Elizabeth Gebhardt ’29
Each opinion represented in The Panther Press is the view and voice of the writer. Opinions, as the selection and curation of content by the editors, do not represent the views of the entire Panther Press staff, the adviser, the school, or the administration.
