World Environment Day 2013
World Environment Day is something that is celebrated every year, and takes place on the 5th of June. Its primary purpose is to raise awareness of the urgent need for nations all over the globe to start taking actions that will benefit the environment.
The celebration began 40 years ago, in 1972, on the first day of the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment, and has grown exponentially since then; it is now one of the main vehicles used by the United Nations Environment Programme to stimulate global awareness of the environment and the importance of taking positive action.
Every year, the event is hosted by a different city in a different nation, and there is an annually changing theme: previous themes have included “Development without Destruction” and “One Earth One Family”; last year was hosted by Brazil, and the theme for the year was “Green Economy: Does It Include You?”
This Year’s World Environment Day
Unfortunately, not much information has been released about this year’s celebrations just yet, so we know neither the host city and nation nor the theme for 2013 – it’ll be a nice surprise!
A number of challenge winners are set to be announced with a prize giving on the 5th of June however, including an award for the most environmentally aware and friendly schools, as well as the Australian Prime Minister’s Environmentalist of the Year.
Last year, the WED Challenge had five winners, one from each of the following countries: Colombia, Kenya, Australia, India and Bangladesh. The five groups ran innovative projects that helped to raise global environmental awareness, and for their efforts were each awarded with the Kia Rio, a hybrid car.
Whatever happens, you can be sure that it will be an exciting and interesting event, full of unique innovations on things to help improve the environment and raise awareness for the cause!
What You Can Do on World Environment Day 2013
There are many things which you can do on this year’s World Environment Day, whether you’re just looking for a fun and relevant way to spend the day or if you’re serious about raising awareness for it.
If you are looking for something interesting to do just for the day, then consider going to one of the many picturesque gardens in the UK, such as Ness Gardens or the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew. A large majority of them will be holding events dedicated to the special day, ranging from talks to related activities for children. Go and enjoy the fun amongst beautiful flora!
If you fall into the latter camp, then what you do is entirely up to you! You can either do something publicly, like start a project of your own, such as the conservation and promotion of local animals and plantlife, particularly if they’re in endangered areas such as marshland, or you can do something personal to benefit the environment, like going the whole day without using the car, or without using any electricity, for example.
