Saving and protecting the environment has become of dire importance all over the world, particularly during the last half-century. As a means to draw attention to urgent environmental issues and encourage people everywhere to take action, the United Nations introduced World Environment Day (WED) in 1974, celebrated each year on June 5. Such pressing issues include pollution, global warming, overpopulation, and wildlife crime.
Throughout its 48-year history, World Environment Day has each year appointed specific themes and host locations to act as a central hub for the event. On three occasions, the host location was here in Canada:
| Year | Location | Theme |
| 1976 | Province of Ontario | Water: A Vital Resource for Life |
| 1986 | Province of Ontario | A Tree for Peace |
| 2017 | City of Ottawa | Connecting People to Nature: From the Poles to the Equator |
In 2021, the WED host location is the nation of Pakistan. The theme for this year’s event is Ecosystem Restoration, and at the core of this year’s slate of new projects is the United Nations’ “Decade on Ecosystem Restoration 2021-2030” project. Interestingly, Pakistan is currently at the halfway point of its five-year “10 Billion Tree Tsunami” program, ambitiously designed to be the greatest reforestation project the world has ever seen.
Here in Toronto, the usual annual formal community events associated with WED have been postponed this year. However, you can get involved quite easily with World Environment Day online, inasmuch as giving yourself an awareness and education on environmental issues, and how to better preserve the earth. You may consider donating to legitimate charitable causes such as Wildlife Conservation Society Canada, the Nature Conservancy of Canada, the Bruce Trail Conservancy, and the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society.
Do your part, Toronto – and remember that every day is environment day.
