Today is International Mother Earth Day!
The first Earth Day was celebrated on April 22,1970, in the United States. Then, there were no legal or regulatory mechanisms to protect our environment. Wisconsin Senator (D) Gaylord Nelson created Earth Day to put the environment onto the national agenda. Since 1970, when 20 million Americans demonstrated in different U.S. cities, Earth Day is celebrated around the world. In 2009, it was proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly as an international day.
Every day is Earth Day on Indigenous lands! It is no coincidence that when the World Wildlife Fund listed the top 200 areas with the highest and most threatened biodiversity, 95% were in Indigenous territories. It is estimated that Indigenous territories contain 80% of the earth’s biodiversity and Indigenous lands also hold unquantified megatons of sequestered carbon as 11% of the planet’s forests are under Indigenous guardianship and stewarded through their ancestral knowledge. Indigenous Peoples continue to call for a shift in mainstream consciousness and to honor and deepen the relationship we hold with Mother Earth. Support Indigenous-led solutions. Today and every day!
8 Things to do on Mother Earth Day!
1. Watch "Mama Quota Is In Danger"
In the South American highlands, 3,800 meters above sea level, is Lake Titicaca, a vast body of water shared by Bolivia and Peru. In recent years, threats to Titicaca (also known as Mama Qota by the Indigenous Peoples in the region) have increased: climate change and pollution have turned it into a lake at risk.
Mama Qota está en riesgo: corazón de agua ¡Te invitamos a conocer más sobre este tema en el episodio 1 de la serie “Mama Qota está en riesgo”!
Mama Qota está en riesgo: flores del lago
¡Te invitamos a conocer más sobre este tema en el episodio 2 de la serie “Mama Qota está en riesgo”!
2. Combat the Climate crisis with Rising Hearts Organization and Run a Virtual 5k
Get involved and run to raise funds for Rising Hearts Organization's annual Earth Day 5k. This Indigenous-led non-profit organization demands accountability to progress towards reducing our carbon footprint, reducing fast fashion consumption, increasing recycling, composting, and more. To participate, sign up here.
3. Listen to Land Defenders of Namibia - Infinity Radio
In this podcast, we hear from residents of Bwabwata in Namibia who discuss the land defense of the !Xun and Khwe people of the region in Namibia in the Okavango Delta that was known as the Caprivi Strip.
4. Listen to Land Defense in Bwabwata
Delve into conversations with residents of Bwabwata, Namibia as they discuss the ongoing land defense efforts by the !Xun and Khwe communities in the Okavango Delta, which is formerly known as the Caprivi Strip, within Namibia.
5. Listen to el Día Internacional de la Madre Tierra
International Mother Earth Day, which is commemorated on April 22 of each year, was proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly in 2009 with the objective of recognizing that “the Earth and its ecosystems are our home,” as well as how to remember that it is necessary to “achieve a fair balance between the economic, social and environmental needs of present and future generations”; This day also provides the opportunity to raise awareness “about the problems that affect the Earth and the different forms of life that develop on it.”
6. Listen to Many Voices, One Message - Traditional Knowledge Protects Mother Earth!
Humanity’s impact on the world’s ecosystems and natural resources has brought us to a turning point. If there is no intervention, the planet faces the mass extinction of up to one million plant and animal species due to pollution, habitat loss, and climate change.
7. Listen to Shannon Foster on Land Management Practices
Shannon Foster, a Sydney D'harawal Knowledge Keeper, speaks about how traditional burning practices can help prevent massive destruction.
8. Support our work and the communities we partner with.
Help us celebrate our founding and support Indigenous-led solutions.
