A Worldly Celebration: Earth Day 2012

EARTH Day is celebrated all over the world every year on April 22, and this year marks the 42nd anniversary of the event.

The first ever Earth Day was celebrated on April 22, 1970, after Gaylord Nelson, a U.S. Senator from Wisconsin, called for “an environmental teach-in.”

In months following that first grassroots event, the Endangered Species Act, the Clean Air Act, the Safe Drinking Water Act and dozens of other landmark pieces of legislation were passed. And when, in 1990, Earth Day went global as an international event, the world embraced it with the same enthusiasm as Americans did in 1970.

Earth Day Network reaches over 19,000 organisations in 192 countries, while the US programmes engages 10,000 groups and over 100,000 educators coordinating millions of community development and environmental-protection activities throughout the year.

Earth Day is an occasion for us to reflect on the necessity of a clean environment, steady weather and clean water. It's an opportunity to focus on the safe air, water, soil and the food.

Ten things you can do for Mother Earth

It takes minimal effort – and very little money – to make changes with the environment in mind. In fact, many changes can save money.



Here are 10 things you can do today to save the earth:



1. Stop the plastic-bag habit by either reusing grocery bags or using canvas bags





2. Turn off lights and appliances when not in a room





3. Recycle as much as possible.





4. Use rechargeable batteries.





5. Buy recycled materials.





6. Keep your tires properly inflated to extend tire life and improve gas mileage.





7. Take showers instead of baths – and install restrictive flow aerators on all faucets.



8. Rent or borrow items you don't often use.



9. Insulate your water heater and keep the temperature at 120 degrees





10. Plant trees whenever possible.