Climate Action
We’re Giving Up (Just Kidding)
April 1, 2025
In a shocking turn of events, we at EARTHDAY.ORG would like to announce that we are throwing in the towel and are taking a break from defending the health of all people and the planet. Or are we? Of course not! We wouldn’t even dare.
While it is certainly easy to feel overwhelmed by the magnitude of the challenges we face, history shows us that we have overcome seemingly insurmountable environmental hurdles before. If we surrender now, all that will be left to do is drown in despair over the fate of the world. The key to a better future lies in our collective determination, perseverance and by highlighting the WINS!
In these trying times, it can be tempting to feel like giving up, but acceptance without action is futile. Instead, let’s draw inspiration from past victories that prove we can indeed solve even the most dire of environmental problems our world faces. Here are three remarkable success stories to remind us that accepting defeat is not an option:
Ozone Layer Recovery: A Global Triumph
The recovery of the ozone layer stands as a testament to the power of global unity in addressing environmental challenges. In 1985, scientists discovered a significant hole in the stratospheric ozone layer, leading to increased exposure to dangerous ultraviolet radiation on Earth’s surface.
The depletion of the ozone layer had serious consequences for both the environment and human health. As the ozone thinned, more UVB rays reached the ground, contributing to a sharp rise in skin cancer, particularly melanoma. UVB radiation also contributes to reduced agricultural productivity and developmental disruptions in marine life. Repairing that hole became absolutely necessary.
Such an achievement was made possible by the worldwide effort to reduce the use of ozone-depleting substances, specifically chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), and safeguard humanity from the sun’s harmful UV rays. At the time, these substances were widely used in everyday products such as refrigerators, air conditioning systems, and aerosol propellants like hairspray and paint.
In spite of political and cultural divisions, the international community came together to address this issue and prove that humanity can solve environmental problems when it is willing to adapt without contestation. The Montreal Protocol — adopted in 1987 — was a landmark agreement that phased out nearly all ozone-depleting substances, marking a significant milestone in environmental cooperation toward ozone layer recovery. The repair process was gradual but decisive, driven by a universal recognition of the ozone hole as an existential threat. Today, the healing of the ozone layer serves as a beacon of hope. It demonstrates the potential for collective action to address even the most daunting environmental challenges if we can maintain a unified front.
Acid Rain Reduction: Teaming Up Science and Policy
For those unfamiliar with this strange weather phenomenon, it might sound like something out of a science fiction film. Yet, it was once a stark reality threatening both humanity and the planet. Thanks to the tireless efforts of scientists and environmentalists, this menace has been significantly reduced.
This journey began in the 1970s when researchers uncovered the reality he of acid rain and then set out to find ways to combat it. Their work revealed that acid rain reduces biodiversity from the smallest organisms upwards and disrupts ecosystems on both land and in the water. Additionally, it worsens air quality and poses health risks, including respiratory illnesses, by contaminating food and water sources.
The formation of acid rain involves a chemical reaction between sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides, which combine with water and atmospheric oxygen to form sulfuric and nitric acid. Extensive research uncovered the root cause of this ecological threat – primarily the pollutants emitted by vehicles and industrial factories from fossil fuel combustion.
In 1963, when scientists in New Hampshire at the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest discovered rainfall with acidity levels nearly 100 times higher than they expected, it kickstarted years of research to understand the causes and impacts of the phenomenon. Led by scientists Gene Likens and F. Herbert Bormann, careful analysis of atmospheric chemistry revealed teh source of acid rain to be the burning of fossil fuels, particularly from coal-fired power plants and industrial activity.
Understanding the origins of acid rain led governments to implement crucial air pollution regulations that have been instrumental in reducing it. In response to growing concerns about acid rain, governments have implemented regulations like the U.S. Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990, which introduced emissions trading programs and set strict limits of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide emissions. These regulations exemplify how the intersection of science and policy can, in fact, save the planet from even the most bizarre environmental problems.
Earth Day: The Birth of a Movement
Before the first Earth Day in 1970, poor quality air and water was rampant worldwide, threatening the health of our ecosystems and the environment. Earth Day catalyzed a significant shift towards implementing federal and international regulations to curb excessive industrial waste disposal to improve both air and water quality These regulations aimed to protect land, water, and air from degradation and reduce smog that literallyobscured visibility in many parts of the world. .
The inaugural Earth Day was a monumental event, with 20 million Americans participating — 10% of the U.S. population at the time — making it the largest civic demonstration ever This movement transitioned from focusing solely on conservation and restoration to demanding policy changes at both national and international levels.
Activists employed a variety of tactics, including teach-ins, rallies, campus marches, and street protests, to raise public awareness about the most pressing environmental concerns of the time. Earth Day became the catalyst for the modern environmental movement, gathering people around a common goal: preventing the devastating consequences of a toxic environment so we all aspire to live healthy lives on a healthy planet
The impact of Earth Day was profound, leading to groundbreaking legislation — such as the Clean Air and Clean Water Acts. The global death rate from unsafe drinking water has sharply declined from nearly 41 deaths per 100,000 people in 1990, to only 10 per 100,000 in 2021. By highlighting that humanity’s exploitation of resources for industrialization not only harmed the planet but also directly had impacted human health too. This first Earth Day set the stage for future environmental advocacy and policy changes.
What Comes Next?
There is still work to be done, but these successes remind us that progress is possible. So, let’s not abandon hope; instead, let’s build on these achievements to tackle the climate crisis head-on. Happy April Fool’s Day from EARTHDAY.ORG! We’re not giving up, and neither should you. Stay inspired, and together, we can make a difference.
As Earth Action Day approaches on April 22, it’s a powerful reminder that meaningful change starts with informed, collective effort. Earth Action Day is a rallying cry to continue to hold our elected officials accountable. We refuse to allow the rollback of environmental protections and for corporations to pollute unchecked.
For Earth Action Day, take tangible steps to activate the environmental movement. Register to vote, speak up, and encourage your community to do the same, because a livable future depends on what we do today.
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