April is Earth Month. This is no April fool’s
Earth Day was founded by activist John McConnell in 1969 in celebration the March equinox. U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson of Wisconsin founded a second Earth Day as an environmental education day on April 22, 1970 which marked the beginning of the modern environmental movement, which approximately twenty million Americans participated in. The goal was to bring awareness to living a healthy, sustainable environment. For the complete story please see History of the April 22 Earth Day
Earth day expanded first to Earth week, then to Earth Month and thirty nine years later, it has expanded to a worldwide celebration this April 22, 2009.
Why would we want to get involved in the integrity of our Earth?
North Americans are increasingly exposed daily to toxins that come from external and internal sources. We are inundated with toxins through industrial and agricultural pollutants, pesticides, herbicides that end up in our food and water supply as well as the air we breathe. Our homes are no safe haven either. We pollute our indoor air with chemicals from our cleaning products, dry cleaning, plastics, furniture, carpets and personal hygiene products, all of which impact our earth. How? Think about what goes in to making these products, from synthetic resources, to animal cruelty, to transportation. There are over five million registered chemicals in the world (more are added daily), twenty thousand of those are known carcinogens. This constant battle undermines your health, changing the body’s normal physiology which may lead to sickness, unexplained symptoms, syndromes, conditions, and permanent changes in state of wellness. The effects for our planet is much the same; rising temperatures, diseases, insect infestations, polluted soil, air, rivers, streams, lakes and oceans. This is what our planet faces on a daily basis with no time for rest and repair. These chemicals become trapped in our atmosphere, altering our genetic DNA and directly aiding to global warming.
Global Warming
Global warming refers to the speed and rise of the Earth’s temperature. So what? Rising temperature, even a little, results in increased storms, intense hurricanes, flooding, and forest fires; which we have all witnessed over the last several years. Scientists concur global warming is not a natural occurrence and is due to what manufactures, companies, and the average persons are putting into the air.
The Green House effect
The earth is surrounded by a layer of gas. The outer layer of this ring allows for us to live on the planet. Let me explain; our energy comes from the sun. Two thirds of the sun’s rays are absorbed by the Earth warming our planet and provides light and the conversion of chlorophyll in our plants, providing oxygen for us to breathe. About one third of the sun’s energy is solar that is reflected back to the universe by our lakes, oceans and glaciers. This heat radiates back towards us and is stored in our atmosphere providing us with enough heat to sustain life. Think of a glass green house: the sun’s solar rays pass through the glass walls, warming the soil, thus warming the air. The glass walls trap the heat inside and the temperature continues to increase. Open the windows and one can maintain an average temperature allowing the plants warmth, sun, circulating air for growth. Our atmosphere acts like the glass walls of the green house. Synthetic, man-made chemicals pollutants and off-gasses, are affecting our atmosphere trapping the heat and essentially painting the atmosphere’s glass windows shut. What this means to us; global warming. The arctic sea is losing ice quickly. As I stated earlier, glaciers reflect much of the sun’s radiation back into the universe. If the ice is melting, this reduces the amount of reflection, thus allowing for more absorption of the sun’s solar energy, heating the planet even more. Why Do I need to care?
Increased temperatures cause increased intense tropical storms, hurricanes and tsunami. This increases mortalities infectious diseases, and respiratory illnesses. Farming and crops may change or become obsolete from drought or flooding.
What can we do about it?
You do not have to become an activist for Green Peace to make a difference. It is the small things you can do right in your own town or city that can have a huge environmental impact.
The New Jersey Department of Enviromental Protection has great ideas that you can do to support Mother Earth.
Over the next couple of weeks look for ways you can make a difference without spending a lot of money. Wander on to http://www.earthday.net for some great ideas for every age.
What will you be doing?
However small or big, let me know what you are doing to celebrate Earth Month and Earth Day and a change for the good; leave comments HERE
Start the celebration with a used copy of Al Gore’s An Inconvenient Truth, educate yourself and get involved to make a change!For more information on environmental issues look into
For more information download the complete PDF brochure “Climate”:Fundamentals, History and Projections http://knowledge.allianz.com/nopi_downloads/downloads/Allianz_Climate%20Change_Brochure.pdfHappy Earth Month!
Karen Langston Nutrition and Functional Medicine and Wellness Specialist
www.IAmWorthIt2.com*
Karen@iamworthit2.com
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