Why Can't Every Day Be Earth Day?

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By Xilonen Penzado

When I was in preschool we would talk about Earth Day and make crafts. One time my teacher had us cut out little globes, and we listed what we loved about the Earth inside of them. I forgot what I said, and I don’t even know if I still have it. I’ll have to look for it. I always questioned why there was a specific day called “Earth Day”? What was the meaning behind it? Are we supposed to just celebrate Earth for one day? Why can't it be every day… 

Today I’m working for an environmental film festival. And now I get the chance to explore this question. As I research “Earth Day” on the internet the first article that comes up  explains that the day was meant to demonstrate the importance of protecting health and the environment. I always thought that there was some symbolic meaning  to “Earth Day” and how people's actions made a difference through the years. I want to learn more so I started doing some research to educate myself. Coming across an article about the history of Earth Day I found out that the U.S. originally celebrated the first Earth Day on April 22, 1970. U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson created Earth Day to “to force this issue onto the national agenda.” His plan worked: An estimated 20 million Americans in different cities participated. 

Now, how do we celebrate this day? All around the globe, Earth Day is celebrated differently: In Canada, several cities including Toronto and Ottawa participate in educational talks and parades. In Spain, they hold a 24+ hour “Global Unity and Regeneration Gathering” that includes workshops on helping the environment. 

In my city, Chicago, we’ve been celebrating Earth Day with a special partnership between the City of Chicago and the One Earth Film Festival --it’s the Earth Week Mini Film Fest. This year there are going to be 3 in-person events and 7 virtual ones – films and discussions with experts to give you ideas for action. 

I've watched one of the virtual films, “Monty and Rose 2.” It's a great film! The film was directed by Bob Dolgan and came out September 11, 2021. The broad topics of the film are wildlife, habitat and conservation. This film was interesting to me because it discusses  how two, rare, Piping Plover birds, Monty and Rose, had a difficult time finding a habitat to live in, and that they finally were able to nest. It was the first time Piping Plovers nested in the city of Chicago since 1948! The film shows how the birds  try to adapt to a busy beach in Chicago. Conservationists and activists rallied the city, so that the two birds had the beach all to themselves and were able to bond, nest and survive. It’s a pretty enlightening film to watch – it’s screening on Wednesday, April 20, 6:30 p.m. CDT virtually during the Earth Week Mini Film Fest, in partnership with One Earth Film Fest and the City of Chicago. Tickets are free with a suggested $8 donation. Also, (list the panelists here ) will talk after the film and help you understand how you can help Monty and Rose when they return this spring, or to help other rare bird species.  

There are more films that are included in the Earth Week Mini Film Fest. I highly recommend you  watch a few of them to get in the Earth Day spirit. See the lineup here. It doesn't hurt to educate yourself on wildlife or food waste or plastic pollution or climate change. It’s good to be aware of things we need to speak out on. And it’s good to take action to help the Earth become a cleaner and healthier place to live.