Pandemic highlights importance of safe and healthy global community
This year marks the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, a time for people to join forces and support environmental protection and conservation. Traditionally, people come together to spark positive change in their communities; however, as global public health concerns escalate, this day may look different than usual. Many people are unable to connect in person, but this distance must not impact the current opportunity to take action and impact the fate of our species.
Earth Day supports primarily environmental conservation, but especially right now, it stands for so much more. Earth
Day is about protecting an environment we want to live in. Conservation is important for every human on Earth; unless we colonize Mars, we only get one planet to call
“home.” Protecting our home and its citizens is the only way to create a sustainable future.
Citizen action fighting for sustainability comes in many shapes; what many of us are doing now to protect public health may not look like traditional activism, but it will cause immense change. Some of the largest impacts will appear seamless; if our current action does what we hope, we can keep society looking the same by preventing catastrophe.
The premise of sustainability is to act today for the benefit of the environment and human longevity. Sometimes you may feel mildly inconvenienced, but it is important to see your actions on a long-term scale. Building happy and healthy communities is challenging among pandemics and recession, especially when apathy and disillusionment are so easy to fall into. But the world is begging, please do not stop caring. From climate change to COVID-19, crises emphasize how important it is to continue fighting for a safe and healthy global community. Ultimately, we must act together, because all we have is each other.
Parks and Recreation is an organization that could not accomplish what it does without community. Thank you to everyone who runs a neighbourhood rink, who has donated their time and effort, and who uses and is a steward of Medicine Hat parks. These places exist for you and your family to enjoy for generations to come. We regretfully must cancel this year’s Earth Day events, however it is for the benefit of the community that we do so. Right now, it may not be feasible to interact in conventional ways, but keep an open heart as to how you can still have a positive impact in others’ lives. Wash your hands, call your family, bring your elderly neighbour groceries, and tell people you care about them. Whatever it looks like to you, share the love. It all begins with you.