Clean Earth

World Tree-Planting and Clean Earth Day is held every year on April 22, which coincides with the 2nd of Ordibehesht, when people all over the world hold special ceremonies with different customs on this day to appreciate the gifts of the Earth, its natural resources and reserves, and to keep the Earth clean and free of pollution. The reason April 22 was named Earth Day goes back to the massive oil spill on the coast of Santa Barbara, USA, in 1969. In this incident, more than 100,000 barrels of oil entered the Santa Barbara waterway and killed thousands of birds, marine animals, and every living creature in that area. This environmental disaster, whose effects had a negative impact on the surrounding environment for a long time, gave rise to modern environmental movements in America and around the world. Planet Earth is only a tiny speck of the universe, yet it is the home of humankind and, in fact, a home for the only known forms of life in the entire universe. Animals, plants, and other living organisms exist almost everywhere on the Earth's surface. They are able to continue living on the Earth. The philosophy behind holding Clean Earth Day is to protect the Earth from pollution and to clean it of contaminants. In fact, since the Earth is constantly exposed, alongside the advance of new technologies, to dangers and harms that in the future will threaten the health of various societies anywhere in the world, naming such a day was a necessity for raising public awareness. Thus, World Clean Earth Day is, all over the world, a symbol of promoting the culture of protecting and preserving the environment, the environment in which human life grows and flourishes, and a valuable opportunity to pay attention to this health-oriented and forward-looking culture. Therefore, in the first stage, we must begin building this culture with ourselves; for even small actions can help the Earth breathe. For example, by using less paper we can help reduce tree felling, and this is exactly what is emphasized on World Clean Earth Day regarding friendship with this blue planet. On the other hand, reducing paper use directly produces less waste as well. Another recommendation of environmental experts about befriending this blue planet on World Earth Day is to conserve water; because the flourishing of the Earth and the growth of plants depend on water. Likewise, by spreading awareness we can prevent the dumping of waste into rivers, streams, and waterways. Not using plastic bags and replacing them with cloth bags, valuing waste recycling and helping this beneficial environmental movement, carrying out social activities such as cleaning up mountains, rivers, and forests in order to collect waste, and so on, are among the other measures that can be taken to protect the Earth. Thus, there are various methods for building this culture. In addition to the above, one of the most important and fundamental of them is education, education that must be carried out correctly from childhood and then in the country's primary schools so that the next generation gains knowledge and awareness about environmental issues. Also, radio and television can play an important role in informing the general public in this area, and likewise NGOs formed of those who care about and are interested in the environment can play a constructive and important role in building this culture. The Constitution of Iran, in its 50th article, addresses the importance of the environment: In the Islamic Republic, protecting the environment, in which the present generation and future generations must enjoy a growing social life, is considered a public duty. This sentence contains very important points, for if matters are carried out precisely according to this important constitutional principle, environmental problems will be greatly reduced. Because, based on this law, economic and other activities accompanied by environmental pollution or its irreparable destruction are forbidden. And how beautifully Sohrab Sepehri said ... Let me remember to do nothing that offends the law of the Earth.