Earth Day 2023: Going Green for the Earth
The first Earth Day was etched into history on April 22, 1970. It started in the United States, but in 1990, Earth Day went worldwide. This launched an annual effort to target longstanding climate challenges and address the actions and activities that had been hurting the environment for decades. Societies were finally facing the fact that industrial development had burdened the planet and was still burdening it. Earth Day is the global community’s opportunity to collaborate for comprehensive, long-lasting change.
Earth Day 2023’s theme is “Invest in Our Planet.” This was also last year’s theme, which emphasizes that investment in the future is imperative year over year. National initiatives have contributed resources to technologies supporting the environment. There are technologies out there now working to temper or reverse climate consequences to redeem the health of the Earth.
We are combatting some of the same climate challenges today that we were facing when Earth Day was first established decades ago. Back in the time when there were no laws for littering, there were concerns concentrated around toxic waste, wilderness loss, wildlife extinction, overconsumption of fossil fuels, and pollution. Although there has been ongoing progress, today’s challenges still echo yesterday’s challenges.
Air pollution is a constant concern globally. It’s not just outdoor air pollution that causes concerns, but also indoor air pollution. Home health and the need for a healthy indoor environment dominated when we discovered that it helped prevent the transmission of contagious illnesses and sicknesses. And since we spend most of our time everyday in the inner sanctuary of our indoor environment, the health of the internal environment is just as important as the health of the external environment.
From the get-go, Earth Day’s purpose revolved around protecting and preserving the planet. The environmental impact of the built environment on the Earth is still significant today. Earth Day’s establishment served as an early trigger for the modern environmental movement. It was able to assemble a variety of voices in the call for change and bridged branches of society to unite on one common mission. It challenges us to advocate for the climate future and take ambitious action for the health of the Earth.
Breakthroughs and developments in transformative technologies, specifically building, green, and climate technologies, are working to cut greenhouse gas emissions for a zero-carbon footprint. Zeroing in on these challenges with solutions will help us combat the carbon footprint at home.
Setting standards for construction can help drive decarbonization. Electrification and home weatherization options like Aeroseal are achieving energy efficiency for homeowners so they can conserve energy and yield savings.