Uniting 192 Countries and Over a Billion People to Promote Renewable Energy, Combat Climate Change, And Build a Sustainable Future
Today, Tuesday 22 April 2025, marks 55 years since the first Earth Day. Each year, this global campaign unites over a billion people across 192 countries to raise awareness of climate change and the environmental challenges we face.
Earth Day Origins
Earth Day started in 1970 as a way to bring people together to raise awareness and inspire action against climate change. Over the years, it has become a global movement that encourages us all to get involved in protecting our natural environment and our planet. If you would like to learn more about its history you can visit Earth Day’s website’s ‘about us’ section.
Our Power, Our Planet
This year the campaign is focusing on ‘Our power, Our planet’ and it’s all about energy and its impact on our environment. The campaign calls on people around the world to come and support renewable energy, with a goal to triple the amount of renewable energy we produce globally by 2030. It’s about making sure communities everywhere have access to affordable, and renewable energy.
Switching to energy sources like solar, wind, and hydro, isn’t just good for the natural environment, it’s also good for our health, jobs, and our economy. Renewable energy (or clean energy as it is referred to frequently these days) can help reduce pollution, lower costs, and create a healthier environment. It drives economic growth, creates jobs, and improves the health of billions of people. Plus, by reducing emissions and our dependence on fossil fuels, renewable energy helps mitigate climate change and lowers the risks associated with air pollution and other environmental challenges.
“This Earth Day 2025, let us commit to harnessing renewable energy to build a healthy, sustainable, equitable and prosperous future for us all. Support and adopt the rapid transition to renewable energy sources now, be it solar, wind, hydro-electric, tidal or geothermal.” – Earth Day
Benefits of Renewable Energy
Cost saving: Installing renewable energy sources in your home, can save you hundreds on your electricity bills. A study showed that with solar power you could save up to £400.
Reliable Supply: Renewables get their name because they are sources that never run out, like sunlight. And contrary to popular belief, they don’t stop working just because the sun is behind a cloud.
Affordability: Whilst installing renewables can be pricey, costs have come down significantly. Over the past decade, the cost of manufacturing solar panels has dropped substantially, making them not only affordable but often a cheaper source of electricity. Between 2010 and 2020, solar module prices have decreased by up to 90%.
What we are doing
We have many exciting projects going on across the county to improve our energy usage and reduce fossil fuel dependence.
We have worked on solar farms across the county including our Morrison Busty Depot, which generates enough electricity to power the site, and surplus that is put back into the grid to be distributed around the county. We also have the Tanfield Lea Solar Farm project that was designed to provide low-carbon electricity directly to a council building.
We also run the Business Energy Efficiency Project which works with local businesses across County Durham to improve their energy efficiency, save money, and reduce their carbon emissions. On top of this, thousands of local buildings have been surveyed and improved using grant funding to add solar panels and car ports, as well as heat pumps to improve the efficiency of buildings.
We also have worked on the Horden Minewater project. The project aims to use the mine’s naturally heated water to create jobs, celebrate mining heritage, and provide renewable energy, helping to regenerate the village.
What you can do to get involved
Energy efficiency: Switch to energy efficient appliances, always check their energy rating and it will help with your decision. Choosing efficient appliances can also save you money in energy.
Go LED: Switch to LED lighting to reduce the amount of energy used, it also can save you money in the long run as LED lights use up to 80% less energy than classic halogen bulbs. They also last much longer as they do not heat up and blow.
Avoid energy waste: where possible, try to reduce waste. Turn off lights that are not being used, turn your heating down or off on warmer days, turn off electronics and plugs that are not in use and make use of natural light through the day. This becomes easier as we step into the longer days, but it is still important to consider your impact in the winter too.
Go renewable: Consider switching to an energy supplier that provides renewable energy. You might even want to explore installing renewable energy options like solar panels or heat pumps in your home
Learn more: Earth Day are sharing many resources on renewable energy and how we can use clean energy to reduce the impacts of climate change. We also have resources across our website too. Learn more and make your plan for how you will get involved.
Sign the petition: if you are passionate about the topic of clean energy and want to do your bit, they are sharing important petitions that you can sign.
As we mark the 55th anniversary of Earth Day, it is inspiring to see how this global movement has united millions in the fight against climate change. This year’s theme, “Our Power, Our Planet,” underscores the importance of renewable energy in creating a sustainable future for all of us.
We would love to hear from you
Share your stories, experiences, and photos of nature, and send us a few lines on how you are helping protect our environment in County Durham. Whether it is something you do personally, a community project you may be involved in, a business change or action, or even a great photo of nature. We want to celebrate and share your efforts and views.
Send us your stories or photos (with a short explanation) by emailing climatecountydurham@durham.gov.uk or by filling in our “Get in Touch form” and help inspire others across our beautiful county to take action. And don’t forget to sign up to our Climate Change and Carbon Reduction Pledge.
