World Environment Day: June 5th

Annually, June 5th is World Environment Day. Led by the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), this date is meant to unite people across the globe to heighten awareness for environmental action.

Eons ago, I submitted a blog post about World Environment Day to try to win a trip to Rwanda that UNEP was hosting in honor of World Environment Day. I didn't win. But it also shows how long this day has been a calendar date of awarenessfor GTG & me..

This year's theme is coined #GenerationRestoration, with the focus on land restoration, ending desertification, and working toward drought resilience.  According to UNEP, an estimated 3.2 billion people are hit hard by desertification. Additionally, droughts are anticipated to impact 3/4 of the world population by 2050. Yikes!

Some featured resources on their website include:

Musical playlists for #GenerationRestoration

A guidebook of solutions of things we can do to make a more resilient planet.

"Weird & Wonderful Fun Facts about Terrestrial Ecosystems" and their Key Messages about this year's theme.

Test yourself by taking the UNEP quiz "How Much Do You Know About Degraded Land, Deserts and Droughts?"

A list of UNEP World Environment Day events, including the mention of the 2020 documentary "Kiss the Ground," now currently a movie available on Netflix. Here's a trailer (narrated by Woody Harrelson):

Additionally, for my teacher friends out there, here are some more classroom resources:

• NASA Express' STEM Connection to World Environment Day
• TeachIt's World Environment Day 2024 Resource
• Larry Ferlazzo's World Environment Day Teaching & Learning Resources from 2021

video from https://youtu.be/Cfl9QVOnRgQ?si=P6WuN-8G4Ynvxc-R and https://youtu.be/K3-V1j-zMZw?si=hSGOqDoB6ghjag4m, logo from https://socenv.org.uk/global-theme-announced-for-world-environment-day-2024/

Positive Environmental News for 2023

OneTreePlanted is a great place to go for good environmental news. After landing on their article "Good Environmental Stories From 2023," I was inspired to create the world map infographic below, showcasing some of the great news that includes plastic and paper bans, rejuvenated species, ocean clean ups, activism, biodiversity, and other great eco news. Click the poster to see an enlarged version, then click article links to find out more!!

Image created at canvas.com using information from https://onetreeplanted.org/blogs/stories/good-news-2023

Great Green Wall

Here on our one year anniversary of America's Inauguration Day of our 45th President, I'm going to pay my tribute in this way....

If we are going to build a wall anywhere, this is what we should build. The Great Green Wall is an project with the plan to counter the dry Sahara desert from growing. The plan--an 8,000 kilometer long and 15 kilometer wide green wall that is meant to provide food and jobs for the multitudes of people of people in the center of an area facing climate change.

Begun with the first planting in 2008, the Great Green Wall is destined to be the largest living structure on Earth and a modern day wonder of the world!





Videos from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kmgrwW5fQ5E and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bdRDfXFjgZg; image from https://www.nationalgeographic.org/news/great-green-wall/