Earth Day: Coming to a Country Near You

A new week is underway, and organizers at Earth Day Network are continuing to build international partnerships in preparation to Mobilize the Earth™ on April 22nd. This week’s international highlights are worth checking out so take a look to see what’s happening around the world.

In Singapore, Nature Society Singapore (NSS), in conjunction with the National Environment Agency (NEA), is mobilizing by organizing a mini-documentary contest in honor of Earth Day. Participants will travel to Pulau Semakau, an offshore landfill island, to film the resilient flora and fauna that still manage to survive there. The contest aims to raise awareness about the harmful effects of human waste, while highlighting the biodiversity that is threatened by the landfill

In Jordan, Earth Day Network’s new partner Students for Green is mobilizing by hosting numerous environmental activities as part of A Billion Act of Green®. These activities will take place the week before Earth Day and will include a media campaign with TV coverage. They’re organizing community clean-ups, distributing recycling bins to universities, and holding a cell phone recycling event. In addition to a coordinated social media campaign to promote the events, Student for Green will also host a show on local television to talk about Earth Day; they’ve written a series of opinion pieces and lined up several interviews with local newspapers.

In Sri Lanka, Lanka Green Volunteers has joined the mobilization by organizing its first environmental work camp as a member of Network for Voluntary Development in Asia (NVDA). The event will be held in Lunigamwehera, about 230km from Colombo. The work camp, which will be held from June 5th to June 11th, will include participants from Japan, Hong Kong, France and Sri Lanka, and will consist of tree plantings, religious site clean-ups, nature expeditions, home gardening classes and cultural activities. Lanka Green Volunteers is a non-profit that seeks to improve the lives of rural community members through education, health care, environmental conservation and development work.

In India, Earth Day Network partner Sanctuary Asia is mobilizing for Earth Day. They’ve already organized a student-led rally in Dehradun.  Over 1,000 students from 19 schools came out to march in the streets in honor of Earth Day.  Singer Bobby Cash performed for the crowd, and the students performed street skits on the importance of protecting the environment. Children collected signatures for a petition to protect tiger forests throughout India and will deliver the petition to the Chief Minister of the State on Earth Day.  

From country to country, people are helping Earth Day Network to Mobilize the Earth™ on April 22nd. Time is ticking to start planning your event. Join the global movement. You can learn about lots of ways to participate by visiting www.earthday.org/2012.