The communitarian environmental marathons of the GEAP involved around 100,000 American and European citizens during the world celebration of March 21 and 22.
The Guardians for the Peace of Mother Earth visited thousands of homes and establishments with the invitation: Save the Forests and Fresh Water of our Mother Earth!
“We are dedicated to protect the planet against degradation, even through sustainable consumption and production, sustainable management of their natural resources…” Dr. William Soto, Executive President of the GEAP.
Under this determination, the International Board and thousands of voluntaries of the Global Embassy of Activists for Peace (GEAP) in Latin America, United States and Spain, developed the Communitarian Environmental Marathons “Save the Forests and Fresh Water of our Mother Earth”, along with the calling of the UN, to celebrate International Day of Forests (March 21), and World Water Day (March 22).
The marathon were implemented by the International Environmental Movement of the GEAP “Guardians for the Peace of Mother Earth”, with the purpose calling for reflection and civic participation for the future of Mother Earth and humanity, through the permanent use of natural resources for a Sustainable Development.
Door by door, the team visited thousands of families and different establishments in more than 20 countries, to develop a brief environmental talk, specifically focused on the correct use of fresh water and the preservation of forests; this work impacted approximately 100,000 people between children, youth and adults.
According to the UN, forests play a fundamental roll on earth and the life of its habitants; around 1,600 million people, included more than two thousand indigenous cultures, depend on them to survive. However, deforestation continues at a rate of 13 million hectares per year, responsible for 12 and 20% of gas emissions that produce the greenhouse effect and contributes to global warming.
Regarding water, Most of its global total is in the oceans and only 2.5% its fresh water; it should be noted, that human beings only have access to less than 1% of this vital liquid. Noteworthy, alarmingly, that according to evaluations of the Global Bank, for 2050, more than a billion people will be living in cities without enough water.
The GEAP presented in this celebration: “10 actions to save the Forests and Fresh Water of Our Mother Earth”, an environmental initiative, directed specially to the civil society, which promotes recognizing the value and importance of this natural resources, and the individual and collective action, such as reforestation marathons, repair water pipes and cans, and the integration or support environmental NPO’s.
Social Prospects in favor of Mother Earth
The GEAP focused on developing this marathon within the different communities of the participating countries, by considering that the community constitutes a group of individuals in constant transformation and evolution and a social potentiality (Montero, 2007).
In just five minutes, thousands of guardians of different ages, organized in teams, conducted the route, making surveys and taking pictures as visit registry, additionally, they handed out a small gift made with recycled material, as a reminder of the environmental actions.
The marathons counted with the support and participation of governmental entities, association of neighbors, communal boards, companies and ecological organizations, as well as the coverage of different media that expanded the local and national activities.
Launch of the marathons per country
According to Dr. Soto, “It takes a greater effort of the World Community to achieve more effective cooperation agreements aimed at protecting and safeguarding the balance and quality of life in our Mother Earth". For that reason, they increased, through the marathons, the calling to the urgent need to reflect and work for a harmonic coexistence of the human beings with Mother Earth.
Participant countries:
En Argentina más de 3000 familias recibieron educación ambiental por el Desarrollo Sostenible
Más de 1600 brigadistas en Colombia involucraron a 25.000 ciudadanos en la celebración
Habitantes de la Comunidad San Sebastián en Costa Rica manifestaron su preocupación por la acción ambiental individual y colectiva
Voluntarios de la Unión Americana desarrollaron las jornadas en diversas ciudades de Texas, Washington DC, Florida, Oklahoma, Massachusetts, Virginia y New Jersey
En Guatemala las jornadas abarcaron seis municipios con un total de 1203 casas visitadas
200 familias en Cayey, Puerto Rico reconocieron el valor de los bosques y el agua dulce
