Celebrated on June 5 every year, World Environment Day is the United Nation's principal vehicle for encouraging awareness and action for the protection of the flaura and fauna.
First held in 1974, it has been a flagship campaign for raising awareness on emerging environmental issues from marine pollution, human overpopulation, and global warming, to sustainable consumption and wildlife crime.
Every World Environment Day has a different global host country, where the official celebrations take place. The focus on the host country helps highlight the environmental challenges it faces, and supports the effort to address them. This year's host is India. The official theme is ‘Beating plastic pollution.’
Here’s how Indians have taken to Twitter to spread the message:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to Twitter to wish the people and spread the message of environment conservation.
Greetings on #WorldEnvironmentDay. Together, let us ensure that our future generations live in a clean and green planet, in harmony with nature. pic.twitter.com/HYUNlCCQ2P
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) June 5, 2018
The Vice President of India too pushed for plastic ban on the micro-blogging site. He wrote,
*Nature, Culture for Better future*
— VicePresidentOfIndia (@VPSecretariat) June 5, 2018
Let us take a pledge to ‘Beat Plastic Pollution’, the theme of World Environment Day today. Time has come for every individual to join the campaign to end single-use plastic and protect the environment. #WorldEnvironmentDay pic.twitter.com/uwpmP2cMR1
The President of India reaffirmed the country's commitment towards a cleaner and more sustainable planet.
On World Environment Day, we reaffirm our commitment to a cleaner and sustainable planet. India is hosting the global celebrations this year. And we are obligated to bequeathing a greener and eco-friendly legacy to our children #PresidentKovind
— President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) June 5, 2018
BJP lawmaker Prakash Javadekar too put forward some important facts in public interest.
15,000 tonnes of plastic waste is generated every day, 9,000 tonnes is collected and recycled, but 6,000 tonnes of plastic waste is not collected and remain littered. #BeatPlasticPollution #WorldEnvironmentDay pic.twitter.com/D6GMFrhqau
— Prakash Javadekar (@PrakashJavdekar) June 5, 2018
Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee too took to Twitter to share her views, pledging to beat plastic pollution.
Today is World Environment Day. Following this year’s theme, let us pledge to ‘beat plastic pollution’. Let us pledge to make every day #WorldEnvironmentDay
— Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) June 5, 2018
Popular actor and UN representative Dia Mirza took to Twitter as well, wishing everyone on World Environment Day.
Happy #WorldEnvironmentDay!!! #BeatPlasticPollution @UNinIndia @UNEnvironment @moefcc @ErikSolheim @SadhguruJV @_MohitChauhan pic.twitter.com/LV67JXy8z0
— Dia Mirza (@deespeak) June 5, 2018
Indian cricketer Gautam Gambhir too put forward some thought provoking remarks.
I think instead of #WorldEnvironmentDay let’s rename it as #WorldSurvivalDay. May be then we’ll realise we are on the brink of our carelessness & greed-infused disasters. Just look at water crisis in Shimla.
— Gautam Gambhir (@GautamGambhir) June 5, 2018
Artist Sudarshan Pattnaik created the biggest sand turtle to spread the message of #beatplasticpollution
My Biggest Sand Turtle, 50ft long & 30ft wide with installation of plastic bottles at Puri beach in Odisha with message #BeatPlasticPollution for #WorldEnvironmentDay pic.twitter.com/EQqT8DaJ3v
— Sudarsan Pattnaik (@sudarsansand) June 4, 2018
Speaking to news agency ANI, Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev said, "This has been a concern for me and many other people including United Nations. It's just that now there is a concrete action in the direction. Plastic is a classic case of, whatever is given to us, we know how to make a problem out of it."
Cricketer Rohit Sharma stressed on the fact that environment protection should not remain a one-day affair, but something that people look into everyday.
Let’s not make ‘looking after our environment’ an event which comes few times a year. Let’s make it a part of our daily routine. Something we pass on to the next generation #ThereIsNoPlanetB #WorldEnvironmentDayâ â
— Rohit Sharma (@ImRo45) June 5, 2018
The Congress too took to Twitter, pledging to protect the Environment.
The Earth doesn't belong to us but, we belong to the Earth.
— Congress (@INCIndia) June 5, 2018
On #WorldEnvironmentDay let us take a pledge to protect and preserve the environment in every possible way. pic.twitter.com/Uodv341pOV
The Information and Technology Minister of India, Ravi Shankar Prasad too was not behind in promoting environment conservation.
On #WorldEnvironmentDay, let us raise awareness among the people for a cleaner and greener environment that can lead us to sustainable development. pic.twitter.com/8mPtUjPggl
— Ravi Shankar Prasad (@rsprasad) June 5, 2018
