The
World Environment Day is the biggest global celebration for positive
environmental action, coordinated by United Nations Environment
Programme every year on June 5. It is a day that reminds everyone on
the planet to get involved in environment-friendly activities. From
school children to community groups, companies and governments, all come
together to pledge towards building a greener planet.
It is a
wake up call to citizens across the world, to spare a while to think
about the planet earth, create awareness on environmental hazards and
work towards making the planet a safer and better place to live in.
The day urges every citizen to mitigate environmental problems, which are a result of human activities.
From pollution, depletion of water, air and soil erosion, water
salinity and pollution, desertification, forest depletion, coastal
degradation, there are major problems plaguing nations across the world.
This year's theme is 'Many Species. One Planet. One Future,' focuses
on the importance of wealth of species and ecosystems to humanity.
This
year's global host, Rwanda has made huge strides on environmental
protection - will lead the celebrations. Rwanda is already
internationally-renowned for introducing a ban on plastic bags,
nationwide environmental clean-up campaigns and the restoration of
previously degraded natural rain forests as part of a chimpanzee
conservation program.
Philips will also participate in the project by donating solar home systems that will light 300 houses in Rwanda.
The
World Environment Day is celebrated by conducting street rallies,
bicycle rallies, green concerts, essay and poster competitions in
schools, tree planting, recycling efforts and clean-up campaigns.
Activities and events will be organized across the world about to create
more awareness about the environment and how to protect it. The United
Nations Conference on Human Environment began on 5th June 1972.
Every
year the World Environment Day is hosted in a different city with a
different theme with the message to protect and save our environment.