3 News to Inspire Hope on Earth Day

Let’s briefly touch on the story of Earth Day, which sparked the first flames of environmental activism. On April 22, 1970, 20 million people in the United States took to the streets to protest the environmental devastation caused by the Santa Barbara oil spill. This number represented about 10% of the country’s population at the time. For humanity, who had recently seen the first photos of Earth taken from space, the contrast between the beauty of the blue marble and the dire state of the world they knew on the ground was a stark and gloomy juxtaposition. Following these actions, Earth Day became a symbol of radical changes in environmental protection. Since 1990, it has evolved into a globally recognized event, surpassing the United States.

We thought today would be a great day to reflect positive inspiration and dream of a different future.

Here are 3 uplifting pieces of news:

1. Coldplay announced that their upcoming world tour aims to be “climate-positive.” The band has committed not only to reducing the environmental impact of their tour but also to using renewable energy sources and pledging to remove more carbon from the atmosphere than they are responsible for throughout the tour.

2. Due to ongoing pressures, Australia’s largest coal-fired power plant will be shut down in 2025, seven years earlier than originally committed.

Renewable sources accounted for about one-third of Australia's electricity generation last year, and it is projected that by the end of the next decade, this figure will rise to nearly 70%.

3. Two individuals of the critically endangered giant Galápagos tortoise species have become parents to two new hatchlings under conservation efforts!

A breeding program initiated on Santa Cruz Island in 1960 has resulted in the birth of 2,000 tortoises. The region, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site, is home to species like iguanas and tortoises, which played a crucial role in the development of Charles Darwin’s Theory of Evolution.

Sources:

1. Greenqueen
2. The Guardian
3. Mirror