Today is World Earth Day. It's the 39th day of action in response to the growing concerns about an environmental crisis.
The day is meant to increase awareness and encourage people and governments to care more of our environment and take action to save our planet.
The earth catches cold, a human disaster. The winter storms in South China left a lasting image among Chinese people.
But our earth is suffering more than this. Air pollution, water shortages, global warming, and the extinction of species are adding scars to our planet.
As both makers and victims of environmental disasters, humans are key to its healing. April 22nd 1970 saw the first large-scale public environmental movement in human history.
Over 20 million people took to the streets in the United States to raise awareness of environmental crisis.
The movement was launched by senator Gaylord Nelson, who forged the idea of Earth Day.
From then on, Earth Day has become an international event, leading to a tidal wave of environmental activities at all levels. From Tokyo to Togo, more than 500 million people have joined forces in over 170 countries.
The wave also swept across China. Actions were taken from government to NGOs, and each year features a theme ranging from energy-saving to sustainable development. More and more people have joined in real action to save our planet before it is too late.
