Lend a hand, when/where ever you can.
I was around for the original Earth Day. Back then it was a BIG deal for those who understood what it meant. It was during a time of a lot of air pollution where I lived. Mountains that you could see just a few years ago were now on many days covered in a brownish/grey haze. The big gas-eater cars that were so popular back then regularly spewed dark grey/black-ish looking 'smoke' into the air at every stop sign or stop light. And it stunk!
We would see reports of pollution in the oceans and animals facing extinction. Rain forests, we were told, were being burned at an alarming rate.
On the first Earth Day there were lots of rallies and many speakers letting us know all of the places that the Earth was hurting, the places that needed our help and what we could do to make a difference. Mostly it wouldn't make a big difference, given that it was only for one day, but hey, we could all make a change for one day.
Back then, we wore arm bands for a LOT of things! It was a way to symbolize what you stood for and it created a solidarity among others to show what was important to you. At least right then. I remember wearing a green armband on the first Earth Day. I'm pretty sure there was a peace sign on it. We put peace signs on a LOT of things back then. And there may have even been some tie-dyed ones, too, just sayin'.
I can't say that I remember much about Earth Day after that. It may even be that it wasn't celebrated at all, Or if it was, it certainly didn't have the impact of that first one. Years later I saw mention of it and it always made me think of that first one, where SO many were SO passionate about our planet. Just like many issues back then, we seemed to get fired up about something and then the 'newness' would wear off and we'd go back to our old ways of doing and thinking.
The thing is, the issues that were important back on April 22, 1970, are still important issues today. I'm glad to see that people acknowledge and celebrate Earth Day each year, as it brings a heightened awareness to most everyone, even if for them, it's only for one day.
A big difference in Earth Day 2022 versus Earth Day 1970, is that now so many people realize that Earth Day is not just for one day out of the year. It should be acknowledged every day and that we all can make a difference. That even the little things that each of us do can add up to a big difference. I'm not here to be political. I'm just saying that for the good of all living creatures on Earth, that each of us, Every Day, can think beyond ourselves and how we can take an extra moment or an extra step to help keep our environment, this Earth that we call home, as clean and healthy as we can.
For more information, check out https://www.earthday.org/history/