PUNE: Residents of the city celebrated Earth Day on April 22 by planting trees and taking oath of reducing plastic and thermocol usage.

City-based environment activist Satish Khot said, “In the current scenario, Earth Day focuses on major issues like global warming and a push for clean energy. Moreover, this day today has achieved the status of being the largest secular observance in the world, celebrated by more than a billion people and a day of action that changes human behavior to change policies.”

Mukund Shinde, resident of Akurdi, said, “We have planted over 1,000 indigenous saplings at Durga Tekdi, Appu Ghar. There around 50 people participated in planting the saplings and took the oath to use natural resources. Also people collected trash from the hill. Children collected recyclable things from which they can make anything.”  Vaishali Patkar, environmental activist and convenor of Area Sabha Association of Pune Members, said, “On the occasion of Earth Day, members of the association collected trash from the open garbage places. We were also spreading awareness on save water, not to pollute water, start using electric or battery operated vehicles and many such other things which is not destroying the environment.”

EARTH DAY
On April 22, 1970, millions of people took to the streets in protest against the negative impacts of 150 years of industrial development, April 22 was earmarked to be observed as Earth Day. Earth Day has the participation of more than 193 countries that are coordinated globally by the Earth Day Network.