By Joseph Pearson
This Wednesday, April 22, is the聽50th聽anniversary of Earth Day, a worldwide celebration in support of environmental protections that aims to 鈥渇lood the world with hope, optimism and action.鈥 Throughout its history, the聽occasion聽has聽usually been marked by聽gatherings, protests, lectures and聽seminars, all aimed at increasing聽environmental awareness and solidarity聽for green issues聽positively and constructively.听This year,聽due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, many of the in-person聽events have had to be reinvented in online forms. However,聽there are still many ways you can get involved in green projects to聽celebrate聽the聽50-year milestone聽of this聽vital聽movement.听
罢丑别听聽has聽a聽database of聽events and initiatives聽that take place聽throughout the day, including a map of local projects taking聽place across the world.听On April 22, you can watch live throughout the day on the聽, where celebrities, politicians and public figures 鈥 from Al Gore to Zac聽Efron聽鈥 will be sharing聽messages聽in support of environmental protection worldwide.听Tweet along with hashtags such as聽#EarthDayNetwork聽and #EarthDay2020.听
The Earth Day Network stays active聽throughout聽the year by encouraging聽projects such as the聽,聽a major citizens science initiative聽that occurs聽in parallel to Earth Day鈥檚 anniversary.听It consists of a smartphone application that聽allows residents to indicate incidents of聽key environmental issues,聽such as聽plastic pollution,聽in their communities by uploading a photo聽and location. The data聽is then聽used to map the extent of聽various environmental concerns聽across the world.听Why not download the app before you head out on your daily walk this Wednesday?
At AUP, the Undergraduate Student Council is hosting a week-long trivia session on Instagram Stories; you can聽follow聽along by visiting聽.听On聽Earth Day itself, the SGA will聽showcase聽ways in which students are managing to benefit from the great outdoors,聽even while in confinement;聽post about how you are enjoying time outside and tag @aup_sga to take part.听Throughout the week, the聽SGA will also be sharing book and film recommendations to keep you occupied during confinement and聽conducting a series of Instagram takeovers, including a tasty treat on Friday as the Vegan Club shares its best easy meals for quarantine.听
Earth Day 2020 is a global event, and universities, colleges and other institutions across the world are hosting their own busy event聽schedules.听Here's an聽example:聽the聽University of Southern California, one of聽AUP's聽partner institutions, is hosting a variety of聽publicly accessible聽online talks.听On聽Wednesday, there's聽a Facebook Live event with faculty from across USC who will discuss the聽problems imposed by聽climate change, the available solutions and the ways USC itself is rising to these聽challenges.听You can find the full list聽of their proposed activities聽on聽the聽.听
Let us know how you are marking Earth Day 2020 by contacting聽communicationsaup.edu.听