Photo credit: Elizabeth Weber
At Global Greengrants Fund, Earth Day is every day. From Indigenous communities protecting the Amazon from deforestation to local communities in Ghana opposing the expansion of mining projects to groups in the Pacific educating their communities about climate resilience, we are supporting those who are on the frontlines of defending and protecting the Earth year-round. Still, Earth Day can be a significant day to re-commit ourselves individually and collectively to the work of caring for the Earth and pushing back against the climate crisis.
This year, we’re reflecting on the breadth and power of the people who make up the Global Greengrants community. As part of that reflection, we checked in with some of advisors and friends about Earth Day—how they’re celebrating and what the day means to them. We hope you are as inspired by their wisdom as we are.
What are you doing to celebrate Earth Day this year?
At my organization, Wastezon, we will be officially starting to pilot the new version of our product, Wastezon app. The Wastezon App allows consumers to resell their electronics, and to access repairing and remanufacturing services. We aim to promote material circularity by diverting e-waste from going to landfill and repurposing e-waste minerals into useful materials.
—Ghislain Irakoze, Next Generation Climate Board advisor, Rwanda
Africa Coal Network’s Women’s Circle is going to have a feminist circle where everyone is welcome to attend. The theme for us will be – “Women as Protectors of the Earth and of Life.” This comes from the realization that more than 60 percent of women in Sub-Saharan Africa work on the land through agriculture livelihoods. We hope this will connect people, bring solidarity and hope to others in the same contexts. Some women have also expressed discomfort at the main theme in the public domain, “Invest In Our Planet.” It can be defined in an extractive, imposing, and capitalist manner that may perpetuate false solutions not compatible with a sustainable world and a just transition.
—Lorraine Chiponda, Coordinator for Africa Coal Network, Zimbabwe
My organization Shenzhen Zero Waste/Toxics-Free Corps is going to hold a webinar on the health impacts of biphenol A (BPA), which is the first one of our endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) webinar series, on the coming Earth Day. The main speaker of the seminar is Prof. WU Changqing from Delaware University.
—Mao Da, Friend and ally from Shenzhen Zero Waste/Toxic-Free Corps, China
Nuestras copartes tienen planean para esta fecha desarrollar algunas acciones como campañas de limpieza y de reforestación en sus comunidades, impartir charlas a los niños de las escuelas y en otros casos continuar influyendo en los gobiernos para la aprobación de las políticas de manejo agroecológico en el cultivo de los alimentos para lograr la soberanía alimentaria y contribuir a la conservación de los ecosistemas.
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Our partners plan to carry out some actions for this date, such as cleaning and reforestation campaigns in their communities, giving talks to school children and, in other cases, continuing to influence governments for the approval of agroecological management policies to achieve food sovereignty and contribute to the conservation of ecosystems.
—Ibis Colindres, Director of Fondo Tierra Viva, Honduras
Why is Earth Day so important at this time?
Earth Day is a great time to reflect on our eco-consciousness and re-strategize new ways of contributing to climate action. While we await collaborative efforts on the national and international level, Earth Day presents us a great opportunity to reinforce the personal climate commitments.
—Ghislain Irakoze, Next Generation Climate Board advisor, Rwanda
Women are facing the most devastating impacts due to the climate crisis driven by burning of fossil fuels. African peasant women have experienced serious impacts that include lack of water, recurring droughts (horn of Africa), heat waves, and recurring cyclones (Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Madagascar). These affect women’s daily lives, ways of living, and access to food, livelihoods, and the most basic human needs. Women are defending land and water against corporations’ polluting and that on its own is a mechanism for climate adaptation. So when women engage in fights challenging, for example, coal mining and pollution, they are defending the Earth.
—Lorraine Chiponda, Coordinator for Africa Coal Network Zimbabwe
It’s important at this moment in history because we have received enough reminders from scientists and nature to know that the line has been crossed in terms of changing our dirty path to development and addressing economic, gender, and other inequalities that are making our earth increasingly inhabitable for present and future generations. Earth’s carrying capacity had been stretched to the limit.
—Eneya Maseko, Southern Africa board, Zambia
Earth Day is always important, and this time, it is also important to remind people that toxic chemicals may make human beings extinct while they have already made the Earth sick.
—Mao Da, Friend and ally from Shenzhen Zero Waste/Toxic-Free Corps, China
Para fortalecer las iniciativas de regeneración de los ecosistemas del planeta y para lograr un ambiente sano y saludable.
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To strengthen the initiatives for the regeneration of the planet’s ecosystems and to achieve a healthy and sustainable environment.
—Ibis Colindres, Director of Fondo Tierra Viva, Honduras
What message would you like to send to international communities on Earth Day?
My hope is that all climate commitments and actions taken on Earth Day can be turned into daily commitments and actions. With such rhythm, I strongly believe we can make a difference. No matter what, every small action counts.
—Ghislain Irakoze, Next Generation Climate Board advisor, Rwanda
Women defending land and territories and fighting pollution are fighting for the Earth, and it is a mechanism for climate adaptation. We demand that governments ring a state of emergency alarm on the climate crisis and take drastic steps to cut coal power plants and support women and peasants bearing the brunt of the climate crisis.
—Lorraine Chiponda, Coordinator for Africa Coal Network, Zimbabwe
Earth Day must cease to be a symbolic reminder of saving energy by switching off lights. Millions of people don’t even have lights to turn out in the first place. I really think it’s time to move from awareness to actions. It’s time for the G7 and the emerging powers like China to show leadership and stop funding coal, to signal a genuine and just energy transition that will deliver real benefits for developing countries and their citizens and not profit a few corporations.
—Eneya Maseko, Southern Africa board, Zambia
I hope we try to review some of the original spirit of the early Earth Days, and learn from it.
—Mao Da, Friend and ally from Shenzhen Zero Waste/Toxic-Free Corps, China
Las riquezas naturales que nos provee la madre tierra deben ser cuidadas y conservadas si queremos gozar de buena salud y bienestar. Debemos entonces redoblar nuestros esfuerzos para lograr un mayor compromiso de todos los actores.
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The natural riches that mother earth provides us must be cared for and conserved if we want to enjoy good health and well-being. We must therefore redouble our efforts to achieve greater commitment from all actors.
—Ibis Colindres, Director of Fondo Tierra Viva, Honduras