Earth Day: Is It All That It Seems?
Two days ago (the 22nd of April) the world celebrated Earth Day, a day rooted in the modern environmental movement and today, attracting a billion people worldwide. Originating in the US, the first Earth Day was held on the 22nd of April 1970, and since then has tackled numerous issues - from pollution and deforestation to the use of pesticides and the importance of sustainability. Despite it now being the largest secular observance in the world, it is not without its criticisms, raising questions on whether it is all that it seems and appears to be.
History of the Day
The modern Earth Day was founded as a response to the growing environmental concerns which plagued the US in the 1960s and 70s. During this time, Americans were consuming vast amounts of gas through large and inefficient vehicles.
The real turning point came in 1962, when Rachel Carson, an American marine biologist, published her book, Silent Spring. The main theme of this book was the negative effect that humans had on the natural world, something that she epitomised by the chemical industry. Carson wrote about how this industry causes much harm by spreading disinformation which is often accepted by policymakers and public officials without any questions. Overall, this book raised awareness about living organisms and the link between pollution and public health.
In 1969, Junior Senator for Wisconsin, Gaylord Nelson was inspired to raise public awareness about environmental issues after witnessing the destructive effects of a massive oil spill in Santa Barbara, California. He recruited a young activist called Denis Hayes - who then left Harvard -to organise the first Earth Day. Hayes and his team were able to build a movement of grassroots activists - comprising university students and communities across the country - and 20 million people participated in the event.
The first Earth Day was a large success, helping to bring out numerous environmental reforms including the Clean Air Act (1970), the Clean Water Act (1972), the Endangered Species Act (1972), along with the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency.
Today, the day has become a global event, raising awareness about environmental issues and promoting sustainability.
Criticisms
Over the years, many criticisms have followed Earth Day despite the large following that it has acquired. Here are three:
Commercialisation
Rather than being the radical movement that it was 53 years ago, Earth Day has now become a ‘celebration’ of capitalism - a day for different brands and companies to ‘greenwash’ their actions and announce that they will be taking part in environmentally-themed events. The fashion industry is notorious for doing this, with its greenwashing antics being exposed by the Changing Markets Foundation. In a report published in 2021, the Foundation found how multiple brands made false claims about their positive environmental involvement. These included H&M at 96% (the worst offender), followed by ASOS (89%) and M&S (88%). The main ‘claim’ made by these companies was about their utilisation of single-use plastics.
Lack of Action
Despite Earth Day being commemorated each year, and as a result, memorialised in our collective calenders, there has been a lack of human activity toward the concerns that have been raised. Since the first Day, humanity’s inaction to tackle environmental problems has exacerbated them. In fact, today:
We are in a global plastics crisis with our oceans being overcrowded with the material (especially in some developing world regions);
There have been increases in extreme weather conditions such as hurricanes, floods, tornados, earthquakes, etc;
The sea levels are continuously rising;
The atmosphere is becoming more and more carbon saturated.
While these concerns continue to grow, usage of social media has also grown and this medium of communication has become increasingly popular for various companies and individuals (usually world millionaires and billionaires) who attempt to use it ‘greenwashing’. However, as written in an article by Global Canopy, ‘tweeting about promises’ - which is especially the case for large companies and even billionaires - ‘is not enough’, and real action is needed now to help tackle these issues.
Environmental Exclusion
Even though Earth Day and the environmental movement as a whole have grown to become a monumental event with a billion people participating in it yearly, it has still been branded as excluding some communities. 20 million people took part in the first Earth Day, however, the demographics of this group have been largely left out when viewing the event today. Of course, there were people of colour and those within the working class present; however, they did not make up the majority of those that attended. And this wasn’t because they didn’t want to - rather, it was because of the difficulty these groups had in having their voices heard.
In the years that followed the first Day, and even today, people of colour and those that are part of lower socio-economic groups are more vulnerable to environmental issues than the white, rich and increasingly, Western demographics of the world. To make matters worse, on average, they lack the resources that are needed to handle these impacts. An article by the Yale School of the Environment found that:
Communities of colour are more at risk from air pollution.
Language barriers may make it difficult for immigrant communities to get information on different weather conditions.
Continual drought and flooding negatively impacts food supply and distribution, making it harder for people to access affordable and nutritious food.
People with limited income may live in subsidised housing, meaning that their properties are more at risk of sinking.
Climate change and environmental problems are the reality for these groups. However, they are the ones that are left out of policy decisions and negotiations even though the wealth of knowledge and personal experience that they have is now more valuable than ever.
The Future of Earth Day
As the climate crisis becomes more and more urgent, so does the day's significance. Each year, new environmental concerns are added to an ever-growing list, illustrating how important our attention is to it. The three criticisms outlined above illustrate how Earth Day continuously fails to address the main causes of environmental problems such as capitalism and exclusionary inequalities, meaning that it may not be the most sustainable way to create environmental change.
Earth Day and the environmental movement as a whole are not just about the environment anymore. Rather, individuals (including people and large companies) that are part of it make it what it is and the movement needs to recognise that. There is now a requirement more than ever for it to be more inclusive and focus on systemic change, while also engaging with ongoing activism and advocacy.
