The Simple Approach

 Earth Day/Arbor Day is the day designated for fostering appreciation of the earth’s environment and awareness of the issues that threaten it. Earth Day has been officially observed in April 22 in 175 countries, and coordinated by the nonprofit Earth Day Network. The passage of the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, and the Endangered Species Act are considered to be products associated with the Day.                  

Unlike the storied origins of many days, the history of Arbor Day is the tale of a modern celebration. Nonetheless, while the history of Arbor Day may be short, the pre-history of Arbor Day, if we may call it that, recedes into the mists of the distant past. The reverence for trees (e.g., holly trees) among the ancient Celts may come to mind first, but it was the Norse who held that an ash tree supported the very universe! Arbor Day harkens back to a time when people lived in closer communion with nature — and gave trees the due respect.

The reason for the association between Arbor Day and Earth Day is fairly transparent. Both Arbor Day and Earth Day are environmental statements, although the former is less politicized in nature than is Earth Day and targeted at a specific part of our environment: trees. Also like Earth Day, the history of Arbor Day isn’t long compared to traditional holidays, although Arbor Day is about one hundred years older than Earth Day. Arbor Day is observed on the last Friday in April, so the two holidays are celebrated within one week of each other in the U.S. — when much of the country is exulting in its first stretch of warm weather after a long winter. However, Earth Day is celebrated in many countries, in some of which its date falls on the spring equinox (ca. March 21). However the driving force behind National Arbor Day was J. Sterling Morton. The history of Arbor Day is a history of the celebration of the importance of trees to human life. The history of Arbor Day is thus part of the modern movement towards awareness that we may need to cultivate “nature” a bit in order to preserve it.

In 1854 J Sterling Morton moved from Detroit to the area that is now the state of Nebraska. At that time there were virtually no trees in the area and he and the other pioneers desired to have them in their surroundings. They also noticed that trees were needed to act as windbreaks to stabilize the soil and to provide shade from the sun, fuel and building materials. Morton planted many trees around his own home but wanted to encourage and enable others to do the same.

At a Nebraska State Board of Agriculture meeting on January 4, 1872, he proposed a holiday to plant trees on April 10, 1872. This was known as “Arbor Day” and prizes were awarded to the counties and individuals who planted the most trees on the day. A total of about one million trees were planted in Nebraska on the first Arbor Day. In 1874, Governor Robert W Furnas officially proclaimed that Arbor Day would be observed on April 10, 1884. In 1885, it became a legal holiday and was moved to April 22, which was Morton’s birthday. In 1989 the official state holiday was moved to the last Friday in April. In Nebraska, Arbor Day is now observed on the last Friday in April, which is also when National Arbor Day is observed. Former President Richard Nixon proclaimed the last Friday in April as National Arbor Day during his presidency in 1970.

The “arbor” in “Arbor Day” comes from the Latin word for “tree,” arbor. But the word signifying the trellising structures known as “garden arbors” has a different origin. It derives from the Old French, erbier, which means “garden.” But the coincidental similarity in spelling between the Latin and French terms led writers of English to exploit the connection and use “arbor” as the spelling for the trellising structures that grace our gardens.

Earth Day started as an environment movement demanding a healthy and sustainable environment in response to the pollution caused by industrial development in USA in the 1960s. This occurred during a time of great concern about overpopulation and when there was a strong movement towards “Zero Population Growth.” Responding to widespread environmental degradation, Gaylord Nelson, a United States Senator from Wisconsin, called for an environmental teach-in, or Earth Day, to be held on April 22, 1970. Five months before the first April 22 Earth Day, on Sunday, November 30, 1969 at a conference in Seattle, Washington, U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson of Wisconsin announced that in spring 1970 there would be a nationwide grassroots demonstration on the environment. The first nation-wide rally was held on 22 April 1970, with 20 million Americans taking to the streets and parks. The protests had a dramatic influence on public policy and led to the creation of the US Environment Protection Agency, and to the passage of many important environmental acts, including the Clean Air, Clean Water, and Endangered Species acts. In 1990, the Earth Day became a global event with 200 million people from 141 nations participating in thousands of activities. Such international concern for the environment has helped raise environmental issues on the world stage, and has led some governments to create agencies for environmental protection. 

Earth Day is now widely celebrated around the world as a collective expression of public will to create a sustainable society. Every year on 22 April, or the weekends before or after, many communities and groups organize week-long or month-long environmental activities. It inspires a groundswell of grassroots action around the world. People take part in Earth Day events and actions which educate, spread awareness and push for tangible change. Every voice counts, every action matters; Earth Day is based on the simple philosophy that ordinary people, acting together can achieve extraordinary things.

The Earth is ours to live                                                
For every little, old and new.
So one must always be aware.
That all its beauty is to share
With all the children yet to come,
Who want to laugh, play and run
In the fields all around the tree.
So we must keep our planet free
With air that’s clean, fresh and clear
For all to breathe from year to year.
We must never ever abuse
Our sweet Earth that’s ours to use.

On Arbor Day, people are encouraged to plant and care for trees. A wide range of events are organized to promote Arbor Day. These include: communal tree planting ceremonies; proclamations by city governments; exhibitions and educational activities on trees and their importance to local communities and the planet as a whole; and fairs, musical performances and open days in garden centers. Schools are encouraged to plan lessons around the theme of trees. Arbor Day awards are also presented to individuals and organizations across the United States and around the world. These are awarded for outstanding service to trees, forestry or related ecological themes. In addition to this and in landscaping your yard, there are plenty of environmentally friendly actions you can take to honor Earth Day — all year round, not just on Earth Day itself!

Dr. Ashiq HHussain