There is one really important message that I want to share on Earth Day 2025: I urge everyone to treat every day of the year as Earth Day. Planet Earth is the only home we shall ever know yet we are relentlessly harming it. We are destroying forests, woodlands, wetlands, peatlands, savannas, prairies and all the other ecosystems I have not mentioned. We are polluting rivers, lakes and oceans. We are emitting greenhouse gasses that are causing temperatures to rise which lead to changing weather patterns with more hurricanes, tycoons, floods, draughts, heatwaves and forest fires that may destroy our homes. We are in the midst of the sixth great extinction of plant and animal life.
If we add to this list the fact that hundreds of thousands of people are suffering from war, poverty and discrimination — well it is not surprising that more and more people are losing hope. So, people ask me if I really have hope for our future. Well, I do believe there is a window of time when we can at least slow down climate change and loss of biodiversity. But only if we get together and take action now. And without hope we will fall into apathy and do nothing. Then we are doomed.
Let me share my reasons for hope — and I think many of you already know them.
Firstly there are our young people. Everywhere, once they understand the problems, and are empowered to take action, they are rising to the challenge. Our own Roots & Shoots movement, now in 75 countries, is growing fast, and involves young people of ALL ages. They are truly making a difference, often influencing their parents, grandparents, teachers and friends.
Secondly, nature is amazingly resilient — I have seen so many places that we have totally destroyed where nature has taken over when given time — and perhaps some help (from Roots & Shoots often enough). I wrote a book about animals on the brink of extinction that have been given another chance — because of individuals who were determined they should not vanish. People who demonstrate that indomitable human spirit, tackling things that seem impossible and succeeding.
And then there is our amazing human intellect. Scientists are working on technologies that enable us to live in greater harmony with nature, such as alternative energy.
Perhaps you are thinking, how does this affect me? What can I do about these things? And I say to you that every day you live you make some impact on the world and you can choose what sort of impact you make. You can remember to turn off lights. Perhaps you can walk or cycle or take a train or bus instead of using a car. You can think about what you buy — when it was produced, did it harm the environment? Was it cruel to animals? Is it cheap because of unfair wages? Then search for a more ethically produced product. Will it cost more? Probably, but then you will value it more and waste less. And waste is a huge problem today.
And another very important thing you can do is to adopt a plant based diet. Partly because it will greatly reduce the suffering of the billions of animals currently crammed into factory farms, and also because huge areas of habitat are cleared for growing food to feed them. Much water is needed to change vegetable to animal protein, and the animals produce methane during digestion, a very virulent greenhouse gas. And I should add it is healthier for us.
Millions and eventually billions of people thinking about their own environmental footprints will make a huge difference and go a long way towards healing Mother Earth. And remember, we depend on the natural world for food, water — well everything. So, for the sake of our children and all future generations, please start today, not only on this Earth Day 2025, but on all the days that lie ahead.
Thank you.
Dr. Jane Goodall, DBE
Founder – the Jane Goodall Institute
& UN Messenger of Peace
