Earth Day TurnUp!
Updated: Apr 22, 2020
1970 is in the history books for a number of different reasons. In this year, the Last Poets, a collective of spoken word artists released their debut album. It was considered the beginning of rap music and set the stage for future legends of hip hop such as DJ Kool Herc and Grandmaster Flash.
1970 also happens to be the first year of one of the most influential movements in environmentalism - you guessed it….Earth Day!
Nature has gifted our planet with millions and millions of species….big, small, hairy, tall, high flying, stubborn, and even translucent….. and possibly thousands more that are still yet to be discovered. Unfortunately, human beings have irrevocably upset the balance of nature which has resulted in the world facing the greatest rate of extinction since we lost the dinosaurs over 60 million years ago. The main difference is that unlike the dinosaurs who suffered their fate from a giant asteroid, gigantic flood, volcanic explosion, or some other unknown natural phenomena…..the rapid extinction of species in our world today is the direct result of our activity as humans.
The global destruction and rapid reduction of our plant and wildlife populations are directly linked to causes driven by: climate change, deforestation, habitat loss, trafficking and poaching, unsustainable agriculture, pollution and pesticides which all have far reaching impacts.
Unless we act now, extinction may be the only lasting legacy we leave on this earth. It’s important that we appreciate the value, and unique role every organism plays in this complex web of life. We have to work together to protect endangered and threatened species; whether they be as small as bees and insects, large and intimidating as elephants and rhinos, or even as simple as the beautiful coral reefs.
Earth day is all about recognizing these dangers that our planet faces and doing everything we can to lessen and reverse the impact that we have on this earth. It’s about working together to build a united global movement of consumers, voters, educators, faith leaders, and scientists that demand immediate action.
This year marks the 50 year anniversary of Earth Day, and to celebrate, the Hip Hop MD is teaming up with PhD Engineer & Research Scientist Dr. Tracy Fanara (Inspector Planet) to bring you the first ever digital Earth Day Turn-Up! Being quarantined shouldn't stop us from recognizing and protecting the most important planet in our universe! Join us on Earth Day for some amazing discussions with scientists on topics of climate change & sustainability, as well as live music and entertainment!
