O Lord, how manifold are your works! In wisdom you have made them all; the earth is full of your creatures - Psalm 104:24
What are environmental awareness days? They are days dedicated to different environmental causes and efforts to draw attention to specific needs in today's living world. In our fast-paced world many of us have become disconnected from the rest of creation. These days can help us to regain that sense of place. We are all connected. Earth Day is perhaps the most recognized of the environmental days. Designated in 1970 as a day of education about environmental issues, it falls every year on April 22. The goal of Earth Day is to draw attention to the fragility of the earth and its resources. Nowadays it sometimes extends to a week full of events focused on ‘green living‘. Some churches choose to celebrate with a worship service honouring creation. For a worship service you may wish to consider using at your church see:
https://acen.anglicancommunion.org/resources/liturgical-resources.aspx
Earth Day is just one of many annual environmental awareness days which have been established to draw attention to particular issues concerning living creatures of all sorts. There are many other recognized days for environmental awareness which can be found online, including:
January 5: National Bird Day
January 29: Seed Swap Day
February 2: World Wetlands Day
February 28: World Polar Bear Day
March 3: World Wildlife Day
March 22: World Water Day
April 21: Fish Migration Day
April 22: Earth Day
May 17: Endangered Species Day
May 22: World Biodiversity Day
June 5: World Environment Day
June 22: World Rainforest Day
July: Plastic Free July
July 29: World Tiger Day
August 12: World Lion Day
August 19: World Orangutan Day
September 1 to October 4: Season of Creation
September 15: World Cleanup Day
October 16: World Food Day
October 24: International Day of Climate Action
November 6: International Day for Preventing the Exploitation of the Environment in War and Armed Conflict
November 21: World Fisheries Day
December 5: World Soil Day
December 11: International Mountain Day
For more important anniversary dates see:
- https://ecoschools.ca/certify/eco-calendar/#may2022
- https://ituabsorbtech.com/2020-calendar-environmental-days/
Why should we care?
Let's consider Overshoot Day, an important day, which sadly advances closer and closer to the start of the year: in 1970 it fell on December 30, but by 2021 it crept up to July 29. It marks the date when humanity's demands for ecological resources and services in a given year exceed what Earth can regenerate in that year. The chart below illustrates just why this date should be especially disconcerting to Christians in Canada. If everyone in the world lived as we do in Canada, Overshoot Day in 2022 would fall on March 13!
Suggestions for action
Any environmental day may inspire individuals or churches to commemorate, honour and celebrate God's holy creation. Possible actions could include hosting a prayer service and adding specific petitions to prayers of the people or to our personal prayers. By becoming more informed about issues, individuals and churches may feel drawn to become involved in advocacy work on their own or in cooperation with established groups focusing on the issue that interests them. Choose a day that speaks to your heart and learn more about it. Check out what is happening in your local area. Conservation organizations and other community groups may already be marking some of these dates. Perhaps you or your church would like to host an event to draw attentions to a particular environmental need in your local area.
By exploring environmental awareness days we will become more thoughtful and better informed of the needs of other living things. We may be inspired to get active to find ways to take better care of God's creation that takes care of us. We are part of a greater whole. Let us always remember God's call to us to be good stewards of His creation.
For more information about this day see: https://www.overshootday.org/about-earth-overshoot-day/
