THE United Nations has declared 2021-2030 as the Decade of Ecosystem Restoration. During the launch on World Environment Day on June 5, 2021, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said that “We are rapidly reaching the point of no return for the planet. We face a triple environmental emergency – biodiversity loss, climate disruption and escalating pollution... We are ravaging the very ecosystems that underpin our societies.” He warned, “Science tells us these next 10 years are our final chance to avert a climate catastrophe, turn back the deadly tide of pollution and end species loss.” He concluded, “So, let today be the start of a new decade – one in which we finally make peace with nature and secure a better future for all.” On April 22, 1970, the first Earth Day was observed in the United States and “millions of Americans, including students from thousands of colleges and universities, participated in rallies, marches and educational programs across the country.” With increased consciousness on the threat to the environment, the US government established the Environmental Protection Agency in July that year and in 1975 adopted the Clean Water and Endangered Species Acts. But we know that the degradation of the environment has continued even with the many landmark events and international declarations for the protection of nature.
Global warming is as real as the Covid-19 virus. It has impact on food security, human health and human safety. We cannot simply put all the responsibilities on international organizations, governments and environmental watchdogs. According to Al Gore, former US vice president and founder of the Climate Reality Project, “Solutions to the climate crisis are within reach, but in order to capture them, we must take urgent action today across every level of society.” That means you and me must get involved. The National Ocean Service, an office within the US Department of Commerce National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, for instance came out with a poster entitled “Protecting Our Planet Starts with You” with practical suggestions including: Bike More, Drive Less; Reduce, Reuse, Recycle; Choose Sustainable; Plant a Tree; Don’t Send Chemicals into our Waterways; Shop Wisely; Conserve Water; Educate; and Volunteer.
In the July edition of GigAlive, the FB Live program I host, I shared an original song I wrote purposely in support of the Decade of Ecosystem Restoration entitled “Dear Earth.”
Here are the lyrics: Time was when/The sea was blue and clean/The air was fresh and sweet/The skies were clear and neat//Time was when/The forests were lush and green/With animals so carefree/And birds flying peacefully//Refrain: What have we, your people, done?/Your beauty nearly gone/Can we be forgiven?/Can we start again?