Anushruti Singh
In January 1969, a massive oil spill in Santa Barbara, California triggered collective outrage and then, thanks to the efforts of Gaylord Nelson, a junior senator from Wisconsin, Earth Day came into being in 1970. It inspired over 20 million Americans to demonstrate against the environmental impacts of around 150 years of industrial development and today World Earth Day is a global movement.
This year, it will bring together around 1 billion people in more than 193 countries and among them will be groups and individuals fighting for the planet and campaigning against polluting practices and the dumping of oil spills, plastic, raw sewage and pesticides in our oceans.
The day also raises awareness about deforestation, biodiversity loss and endangered wildlife at a time when Earth has experienced its second warmest March on record with the Antarctic sea ice shrinking to its second-lowest extent according to Copernicus, EU’s climate monitoring agency. Last month at the three-day water summit in New York, António Guterres, the UN secretary-general, also drew attention to the disturbing fact that humanity has broken the water cycle, destroyed many ecosystems and contaminated groundwater.
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It is logical then that the official theme for World Earth Day this year is ‘Invest In Our Planet’ and Pradip Shah, co-founder and director of social enterprise Grow-Trees.com says it couldn’t be more timely.
He says, “Global warming is exacerbating at an unprecedented rate and the latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report has warned of ‘irreversible impacts’ if the temperatures breach the limit of 1.5°C. The UN Secretary-General has also stated categorically that the ‘climate time bomb is ticking’ and unless we collectively commit ourselves to reaching the net zero emission rate by early 2040, the planet will face an unprecedented crisis.”
In his opinion, greenhouse gas emissions cannot be minimised without collaborative commitment by individuals, governments and businesses and on its part, Grow-Trees.com is doing its bit to invest in the planet, address climate change and build natural wealth. Says Pradip Shah, “Grow-Trees.com’s ‘Greet with Trees® ’ initiative gives an opportunity to plant trees for biodiversity while supporting rural communities through employment generation and NTFPs. For Earth Day this year, we hope to inspire people to consider planting trees as an investment that will not only secure their health and well-being but also leave a lasting legacy for future generations and build natural wealth.”
Ramanujam Komanduri, Country Manager, India, Pure Storage message for Earth Day is for each and every one of us to act boldly, innovate broadly and implement equitably.
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“Tech companies such as Pure Storage have to be more conscious than ever that our products continue to push innovation forward while reducing our impact on the environment. Digital transformation does not need to stop, there are technology choices which companies can make to maintain the pace of digitalisation while keeping a close eye on carbon emissions. This is the commitment that Pure has made to our customers, partners, our employees and to Mother Earth.” he says.
Sooraj Balakrishnan, Head of Marketing, Acer India says, “As we celebrate World Earth Day, we value the transformative potential of technology to establish a sustainable future for our planet. Our Earthion initiative is a testament to our unwavering commitment to minimizing our ecological footprint and driving forward sustainable practices. At Acer, we firmly believe in collective efforts toward a greener future. Innovation and technology, aligned with environmental consciousness, can pave the way for a better world for generations to come.”
According to Denver DeZylva, Senior Vice President -Facilities and Sustainability, Virtusa Corporation this year’s Earth Day theme, “Invest in Our Planet,” resonates with Virtusa, as they firmly believe that what benefits the planet also benefits business.
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“As a global engineering company, Virtusa is committed to empowering our clients and teams with a sense of purpose and a passion for both people and the planet. Through our unique and industry-leading tools, we aggressively measure and improve quality and reuse at the source to maximize “right first time” and decrease “cycle time.” By reducing the environmental footprint of our products and services, we are playing a significant role in preserving the planet’s health. On this Earth Day, we pledge to continue our commitment to creating a sustainable future for all.”
In January this year, Earth.Org cited air and water pollution, food and water shortage, waste management and biodiversity loss as the five biggest environmental issues facing India
