How people in the Midlands can do their bit to save the planet on Earth Day
Our Weather Presenter Des Coleman explains all you need to know about Earth Day and the steps you can take to help save our planet.
Our planet is a marvellous creation. Just take a look at our earth from space it’s really is awe-inspiring.
But in reality, we’re all living on a tiny grain of sand on an endless and lifeless beach.
The earth is all we’ve got and regrettably, what we’ve been doing over the years is taking from it; the effects of which are now coming to bare in climate change and all that that entails.
What is 'Earth Day'?
The first Earth Day saw the birth of the modern environmental movement - before then we were consuming vast amounts of leaded gas through massive and inefficient automobiles.
Senator Gaylord Nelson started the movement on April 22, 1970 and now 190 countries and more than a billion people celebrate it.
People can take part in activities such as planting trees, conserving water, volunteering, recycling and litter picking.
What's happening in the Midlands to mark Earth Day?
A giant globe has been made from litter, which has been dumped in Leicester's parks and waterways to remind people to look after the environment. The installation, measuring three metres in diameter and made from colourful bottle tops, food packaging, crisp packets and other household waste, is on display in Abbey Park.
A huge 'carbon bubble' will be in Stafford town centre. The 10 foot bubble installation aims to help people to see how their daily activities can impact carbon emissions and make them think about how to reduce their carbon footprint.
The National Space Centre's Home Planet gallery in Leicester opens today. It will explore how satellite data is vital for managing our relationship with the air, water and land of our home in space.
In Derbyshire, families can take part in educational sessions to learn more about the planet, including making beeswax fabric food wraps.