“The Earth is where we make our stand. …this distant image of our tiny world. To me, it underscores our responsibility to deal more kindly with one another, and to preserve and cherish the pale blue dot, the only home we’ve ever known.” Carl Sagan
Carl Sagan’s words from the video above, a must listen in my opinion, are some of the most powerful ever said. Earth is the only home we’ve ever known and will be for our lifetime. We share this common ground, the only place known so far to harbour life and the only place where every human has been born.
If Strong Mortgages were to pick a charity of choice, it would be Earth Day. Earth is the home for all of us. The place we need to preserve and cherish. Strong Mortgages believes that homeownership creates a deeper connection to where we live and a greater likelihood that people will continue to make choices that are sustainable and positive to our communities. In CHMC’s recent Socio Economic Analysis: Housing Needs and Conditions, they note the known benefits of homeownership, ”…is related to positive societal outcomes, such as the benefits of living near schools and local amenities. In turn, households tend to invest time and effort in the development of their neighbourhood, which can translate into participating in local decision making.” That participation and engagement has the capacity to bring powerful environmentally conscious policies, programs and practices to where and how we live.
In 2018 “Own Your Piece of the Earth” was launched in coordination with Earth Day and this year Strong Mortgages is focused on sharing the work of the Earth Day Network to encourage you to join the movement for the Earth Challenge 2020, marking Earth Day’s 50th Anniversary and the initiative to be the most diverse global mobilization in defense of the environment in world history.
Earth Day
A MESSAGE FROM EARTH DAY NETWORK PRESIDENT, Kathleen Rogers:
On April 22, 1970, millions of people took to the streets to protest the negative impacts of 150 years of industrial development. In the U.S. and around the world, smog was becoming deadly and evidence was growing that pollution led to developmental delays in children. Biodiversity was in decline as a result of the heavy use of pesticides and other pollutants.The global ecological awareness was growing, and the US Congress and President Nixon responded quickly. In July of the same year, they created the Environmental Protection Agency, and robust environmental laws such as the Clean Water Act and the Endangered Species Act, among many.
Earth Day is now a global event each year, and we believe that more than 1 billion people in 192 countries now take part in what is the largest civic-focused day of action in the world.
It is a day of political action and civic participation. People march, sign petitions, meet with their elected officials, plant trees, clean up their towns and roads. Corporations and governments use it to make pledges and announce sustainability measures. Faith leaders, including Pope Francis, connect Earth Day with protecting God’s greatest creations, humans, biodiversity and the planet that we all live on.
NETWORK CAMPAIGNS
The Earth Day Network host year-round projects, programs, and campaigns that support environmental conservation, environmental protection, climate activism and advocacy, and advancing the green economy.
There is a focus on education work and developing green schools, global conservation and greening efforts and protecting clean air and water. Advocacy efforts focus on engaging local leaders and global citizens of all ages and from all walks of life with campaigns: to end plastic pollution, to protect our species, to act on climate and advance clean energy, and more.
A BILLION ACTS OF GREEN: TAKE ACTION
2019 EARTH DAY THEME: PROTECT OUR SPECIES
Earth Day Network is asking people to join the Protect our Species campaign. Their goals are to:
Educate and raise awareness about the accelerating rate of extinction of millions of species and the causes and consequences of this phenomenon.
Achieve major policy victories that protect broad groups of species as well as individual species and their habitats.
Build and activate a global movement that embraces nature and its values.
Encourage individual actions such as adopting plant based diet and stopping pesticide and herbicide use.
EARTH DAY TIPS
Tips to help you go green, protect the earth, save money and make every day Earth Day. You make the difference!
Earth Day 2020
To be the most diverse global mobilization in defense of the environment in world history. 50th Anniversary countdown.
