Earth Day 2023 is a global call to action for governments, businesses, and people to protect the environment to ensure we can all work with nature to enjoy a sustainable future.

Promoted as the ‘World’s Largest Environmental Movement,’ Earth Day is an annual global campaign that aims to gather support for the protection of the environment, raising awareness and driving action in a vast number of projects that support sustainability and decrease the amount of pollution in our natural habitats.

Happening on Saturday 22 April, the theme for Earth Day 2023 is ‘Invest in our Planet’, continuing the theme from 2022, which focused on engaging and encouraging governments, institutions, businesses, and more than one billion citizens to participate in cleaning up their areas and changing legislation to protect the planet.

“In 2023 we must come together again in partnership for the planet,” said Kathleen Rogers, President of Earth Day. “Businesses, governments, and civil society are equally responsible for acting against the climate crisis and lighting the spark to accelerate change towards a green, prosperous, and equitable future. We must join in our fight for the green revolution and for the health of future generations.”

Want To Get Involved?

April 22^nd, 2023, marks the 53^rd anniversary of Earth Day. The celebration of eco-consciousness takes place in more than 190 countries around the world and is the most widely observed non-religious holiday in history.

Be it parties, parades, festivals, protests, clean-ups, rallies and teach-ins, there are an endless number of ways to get involved in the celebration of Earth Day. Want to attend an event to celebrate? Here are ten global events that you should know about and might consider attending:

1. THE CAPE CORAL CLEAN-UP – CAPE CORAL, FL

 Although Cape Coral has made considerable progress following Hurricane Ian, there is still much work to be done. On this Earth Day, they are concentrating on clearing the waste and debris that the storm left behind to create a better and healthier community.

In honour of Earth Day 2023, Cape Coral is organising the largest clean-up their community has ever seen with more than five thousand volunteers set to take part. Visit https://www.facebook.com/CityofCapeCoral for further details.

2. ‘HEAVEN ON EARTH’ CLEAN-UP AT THE DAL LAKE (INDIA)

 The stunning state of Jammu and Kashmir, also known as “Heaven on Earth,” is located high in the Himalayas. The famous “Dal Lake” is a distinctive tourist attraction in the country’s largest town, Srinagar. Over a thousand houseboats (shikaras) dot the Dal Lake, acting as homes, schools, and shops where people may buy goods embroidered with the regional crewel and handicrafts made of walnut wood.

This important tourist destination has been cleaned by Earth Day, India, for years. A final clean-up and special ceremony will take place on Earth Day 2023 to officially designate the area as an Earth Day Star Village in recognition of its residents’ commitment to being good stewards of the planet.

Please visit www.facebook.com/earthdaynetworkindia/ to learn more about this clean-up.

3. EARTH DAY JUBILEE AT HEAL THE BAY AQUARIUM IN SANTA MONICA, CA

 Since 1985, the Greater Los Angeles area’s coastal waters and watersheds have been the focus of the environmental non-profit Heal the Bay. For them, every day is Earth Day, but April 22nd is particularly meaningful because people from all over the world come together to show their respect for the planet we share and to work towards its healing.

Heal the Bay will host their Earth Day Jubilee on the Santa Monica Pier on April 22 in honour of the splendour of our oceans. This Earth Day celebration for families features a variety of indoor and outdoor activities, including wildlife observation platforms, craft stations, short films, and small dance parties throughout the day. It is a great way to educate children and youth about the environmental movement. For more information about Heal the Bay and their Earth Day Jubilee, visit: https://healthebay.org/

4. VILLAGE FOR THE EARTH IN THE GREEN HEART OF ROME (ITALY)

 Every year, between the Pincio Terrace and the Villa Borghese Galoppatoio in Rome’s green centre, Earth Day Italia conducts a 5-day World Earth Day event.

The Village for the Earth, which takes place in conjunction with more than two hundred organisations from April 21–25, is recognised as the most famous of all Italian Earth Day celebrations. With a packed calendar of events, official gatherings, forums, performances, and a village for kids with fun and instructive activities, these amazing five days offer many possibilities to indulge in entertainment, culture, sport, and the environment.

Visit https://www.earthdayitalia.org/villaggio-per-la-terra/ for additional details.

5. EARTH DAY: IN LOVE AND RAGE AT CITY HALL PLAZA IN BOSTON, MA

 Extinction Rebellion is a global movement that calls for fair responses to the ecological and climate disaster that we are currently facing. Extinction Rebellion is holding a rally at Boston City Hall on April 21 to demand that no new fossil fuel infrastructure be built in Massachusetts in opposition to recently approved projects by the federal government in Massachusetts and Alaska.

The activists are encouraged to dress up as their favourite threatened species and/or to bring one of the puppets they have provided for the occasion. Join Extinction Rebellion with friends and family to march, dance, and process in support of and love for the Earth if you love Earth, love animals, and want a habitable future. Visit https://xrboston.org/action/earth-day-2023/ for additional details.

6. THE BIG ONE ON THE STREETS OF LONDON (UNITED KINGDOM)

 The Extinction Rebellion has planned what is likely to be the biggest environmental protest of 2023 with the help of more than seventy organisations, including EARTHDAY.ORG. 100,000 people — the number of seats in the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum — are anticipated to march together beginning in London to urge Parliament to act against the climate crisis.

People will band together to survive beginning on Friday the 21st, by engulfing Westminster in a wave of flags and banners. A family-friendly march in honour of Earth Day will kick off a huge celebration of people who are united in their love of nature, biodiversity, and the world on Saturday, April 22nd.

The Big One will join forces with the London Marathon on Sunday, September 23rd, to interact with the massive crowds of spectators, and the four-day event will come to an end on Monday, September 24th, when The Big One will convey the message to Parliament urging it to choose a green future. Please visit https://extinctionrebellion.uk/the-big-one/#which-days-should-I-come for additional details.

7. END THE ERA OF FOSSIL FUELS AT FREEDOM PLAZA IN WASHINGTON, D.C.

 By uniting on this Earth Day to fight for climate justice and demand substantive change from policymakers, Earth Day DC is saying NO to fossil fuels. A youth-led gathering in Freedom Plaza will get the day started off with music from the Too Much Talent Band and the voices of young people from all over the country and throughout Washington, D.C.

After the demonstration, people will march to the White House through the streets of Washington, D.C., demanding that President Biden take decisive action to fulfil his pledge to put an end to the fossil fuel age. The event will end with a fair at Freedom Plaza, where there will be climate cages, art projects, teach-ins, dance parties, and more. Visit the following for additional details: https://www.earthdaydc.org/

8. EARTH DAY FIESTA (ZIMBABWE)

 By collaborating with staff and partners in Sub-Saharan African nations, Earth Day Africa encourages common people to rise and band together to safeguard Africa. Earth Day Africa will conduct the second annual Earth Day Fiesta on 22 April to honour Earth Day and tell the African Climate Story, building on the first commemoration in 2022.

The fiesta will unite everyone from Africa to Zimbabwe for a historical day of enjoyment in accordance with this year’s theme, “Invest in Our Planet.” The fiesta will feature a day filled with traditional African music, cuisine, and art while also supporting environmental and climate change initiatives. Visit https://www.earthday.org/africa/ for additional information.

9. PLEDGE TO OUR KEIKI DIVE ACROSS EVERY ISLAND IN HAWAII

 Kanu Hawaii is a group of committed, regular people working together to preserve and promote what makes Hawaii unique. They are planning protests all around Hawaii on this Earth Day to turn words into deeds. A moment of peace will be observed around the world on April 22. To raise and rouse the globe in support of the Pledge to Our Keiki, religious leaders will join in prayer at sunrise atop two volcanoes in honour of the children of Hawaii.

With more than 700 divers expected to participate throughout the Hawaiian Islands, Kanu Hawaii will attempt the largest dive clean-up in history as the day goes on in collaboration with partners and neighbourhood businesses. As well as the dive, more than 400 non-profit organisations, 800 events and over 20,000 volunteers are coming together to draw attention to what drives global pollution and to call out the systems causing massive amounts of waste.

To read more about this event, head to: https://www.kanuhawaii.org/

10. AN EARTH DAY 2023 EVENT LOCAL TO YOU

 If the events listed above are not close enough for you to join in, or you want to show your environmental stewardship in another way, do not worry! EARTHDAY.ORG’s interactive Events Map shows you up-to-date rallies, clean-ups, and so much more happening all around the world and in communities locally near you.

April 22nd serves as an annual reminder to NEVER underestimate your power. When your voice and actions are united with millions of others around the world, we can create an inclusive and impactful movement impossible to ignore. United together, we will drive a year of energy, enthusiasm, and commitment to a sustainable and equitable future for our planet.

To learn more about Earth Day 2023, please visit https://www.earthday.org/earth-day-2023/.

Sources:

https://youtu.be/ihPpNHiX3vE

https://www.earthday.org/the-top-10-earth-day-events-of-2023/