The first Earth Day was celebrated in the U.S. in 1970 to bring national attention to environmental causes and to raise public awareness about air and water pollution. By 1990, Earth Day had gone global, with 200 million people in over 140 nations participating.
Today, an estimated 17,000 partners and organizations in over 174 countries participate.
This year, the global theme is Trees for the Earth. The Earth is losing over 15 billion trees each year, which is the equivalent to 48 football fields every minute! By Earth Day 2020, which will mark its 50th anniversary, EarthDay.org’s goal is to have planted 7.8 billion trees.
Why 7.8? That’s one tree for every person on the planet.
This will accomplish three goals:
Mitigate climate change and pollution: Trees absorb excess and harmful chemicals, pollutants, and odors from our atmosphere. In a single year, it takes roughly 96 trees to absorb the amount of carbon dioxide produced by one person.
Protect biodiversity: According to some scientists, we have entered our 6th mass animal extinction. By planting the right trees, we can help counteract this loss and provide more habitats for our diverse species.
Support communities and their livelihoods: Planting trees helps communities provide food, energy and income. Studies have shown that schools with tree cover have reduced asthma and lung disease rates and help students with ADHD concentrate for longer periods. Tree planting has been correlated to reduced crime rates, increased property values, reduced litter, and many social and psychological benefits.
You can help by planting your own trees. Take a picture of yourself or family planting trees and upload them at our Facebook page so we can give you a shout out. You can also go to Earth Day Network to donate to the tree mission.
ARS/Rescue Rooter™ supports Earth Day by participating in community outreach that includes support of Shelby Farms Park Conservatory and their Earth Day celebrations.
We also provide a 100 percent biodegradable product, Drain Right® Drain Maintainer, to help clean and maintain drains. It won’t harm your pipes or the environment, and it’s available nationwide at any of our our local branches.
