All Articles Earth Day: A Public Pledge To Protect Our Planet

Earth Day: A Public Pledge To Protect Our Planet

Everybody’s Earth

Since the industrial revolution humans have spilled oil in the sea, polluted the air and land with chemicals, cut down vast areas of rainforest and driven some animals to extinction. Naturally, this has not sat well with Earth’s more environmentally conscious inhabitants.

On April 22^nd1970, millions of people from all walks of life marched on to the streets across America, united by the desire to end these decades of environmental degradation. Almost 50 years later, Earth Day has become a global annual event, urging everyone to do their bit to curb climate change, prevent pollution and save endangered species.

As part of the Scouting movement, we have a responsibility to care for the planet as much as for each other, and by taking small steps together we can make big changes.

Refuse to waste

Whether or not you saw the final episode of Blue Planet II in November 2017, you are probably still aware of its impacts. When former Scout Sir David Attenborough revealed the extent of plastic in the ocean and its harmful effects on sea life, it sparked a pollution revolution. This was reflected in the theme of Earth Day 2018 “End Plastic Pollution”, a campaign which is still in full swing today.

Now is a prime time to ponder your use of plastics at home and think about how you could reduce it:

Choose one room in your house.
Find something in that room that is made of plastic.
Can you discover where and how it was made?
How does this process affect the environment?
Is it recyclable? Where does your recycling go?
What would be an alternative material to plastic?

Clean up our act

Plastic is not the only pollutant. Humans create huge amounts of litter that ends up scattered across the land, not to mention chemicals that end up in the soil, and greenhouse gases that end up in the air we breathe. Yet despite efforts to reduce, reuse and recycle rubbish, there is still an alarming amount floating about our towns, cities and countryside. This year, Earth Day is launching a Great Global Clean Up aimed at inspiring others to join the litter-picking party.

Is there a place near you where you have noticed a lot of litter?
What is this litter doing to the environment?
Could you arrange a Clean Up day with your Scout Group?
How would you persuade other people to help you Clean Up?

Save our species:

It’s not just iconic endangered animals – the tigers, elephants, and polar bears – that need protecting. The bugs we bat away from our tents are also vital to the natural balance. Wild flowers need bees to pollinate them, and birds need insects for food. The loss of one species can lead to the loss of many more.

Choose three species that went extinct within the last year.
Find out where they used to live and in what kind of habitat.
What are the biggest threats to these habitats?
What other plants or animals could be affected by these extinctions?
Think of one way that people could act differently to save similar species.
Talk to your friends and family about their concerns over endangered animals.

The theme of Earth Day 2019 is Protect Our Species. By thinking and talking about why we are losing so many plants and animals – and faster than ever before – we can learn new ways to preserve the planet and all its critters for generations to come.

Doing what we can

As Scout Store we are doing our best to be more sustainable and reduce our impact on our planet.