In the spirit of the theme of the 2018 Earth Day, personalities have made remarks on the worrisome trend of pollution and the failing health of the Earth.
Observed on Sunday, April 22, the 2018 Earth Day has “End Plastic Pollution” as its theme.
Pope Francis, in a message, said: “The Earth is our environment to protect and our garden to tend to.
“We must care for the Earth so that it may continue, as God willed, to be a source of for the entire human family
“The relationship of mankind with nature must not be conducted with greed, manipulation and exploitation, but it must conserve the divine harmony that exists between creatures and Creation within the logic of respect and care, so it can be put to the service of our brothers, also of future generations.
“I exhort everyone to see the world through the eyes of God the Creator.”
Dr. Cristiana Paşca Palmer, the Executive Secretary of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), said: “Plastic is everywhere, a part of our daily lives. However, the convenience of plastics now threatens the very survival of our planet.
“Plastic pollution affects every part of the world. Plastic washes onto beaches of all the world’s oceans and settles even on their deepest ocean floors. It poisons coral reefs.
“We now know that plastic pollution at the small and micro scales is accumulating in the food chain and eventually making its way onto our dinner plates. But there are things that we as individuals can do through our choices and our actions. Unless we take these steps, the problem is not going away.”
Valeria Merino, Vice-President of Global Earth Day at Earth Day Network: “Plastic pollution is now an ever-present challenge. We can see plastics floating in our rivers, ocean, and lagoons, littering our landscapes and affecting our health and, the future of billions of children and youth. We have all contributed to this problem – mostly unknowingly – and we must work to reduce and ultimately to End Plastic Pollution.”
On the Pope’s message, the Earth day Network remarked: “Pope Francis’s important messages continue to inspire and encourage people worldwide to take responsibility for the environment, and do so in the service of God. For this, and a multitude of other great efforts, we look to him as one of today’s greatest moral authorities on the issue of climate change and its impact on the world’s most vulnerable communities. Today, more than ever, we need to safeguard our planet and care for the Earth.”
