This is the only planet we have and it is our home. Everyone needs to wake up to the fact that we are misusing this planet and hurting its environment beyond repair. Measures on several scales with massive awareness about it can bring about the change. There is hope, yet. Lights went out on the Sydney Harbour last month. It wasn't a power cut, just the country observing Earth Hour, when households and businesses are asked to turn off their non-essential lights electrical appliances for one hour to raise awareness about the need to take action on climate change. As many as 88 countries have taken part in Earth Hour. And April 22 is Earth Day, when people all over the world endeavour to raise consciousness about climate change, pollution the need to protect the only planet that we have to live in. Earth Day is the only event celebrated simultaneously all over the world by people from all backgrounds, faiths and nationalities. Here are a few worrying facts that make observing Earth Day important. Harm to the ozone layer from vehicles, factories, land fills, industrial solvents and so on, can cause health hazards such as impaired lung function and inflammation. It is the most injurious pollutant to plant life. Carbon-monoxide from motor vehicles and other kinds of engine affects the cardio-vascular and nervous systems. Nitrogen -di-oxide from burning fuels in utilities, industrial boilers and trucks is one of the major pollutants that causes smog and acid rain. Particulate matter, which is solid or liquid droplets from smoke, dust, fly ash and considering vapours come from industrial processes, smelters, vehicles, industrial fuels and woodsmoke, can adversely affect breathing and respiratory health, causing increased respiratory diseases and lung damage. Lead from fuels and coal combustion, smelters and car battery plants can adversely affect mental development, kidney function and the blood composition;children and most at risk. Toxic air pollutants such as arsenic, asbestos and benzenes are suspected to cause cancer, respiratory and reproductory diseases and birth defects. Greenhouse gases such as carbon-dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide can increase global temperature, lead to an increased severity and frequency of storms and other weather extremes, melting of the polar ice cap and the El Nino effect. In such a scenario, it is not only important but crucial that we wake up to the fact that this planet is our only home and that if we want to give our children and their children a secure future and an healthy life, we need to start with ourselves and now. The Earth Day, on April 22, is a concrete step in that direction. Technically speaking, it is a day designed to inspire awareness and appreciation for the Earth's environment. Important statistics that we didn't know of: the energy saved by recycling one aluminium can equals the amount of energy it takes to run a TV set for four hours. This is the energy equivalent of 1.9 litres of gasoline. It takes nearly 4,086 kg of aluminium ore and 463 kg of fuel to manufacture one tonne of aluminium. Which means that using recycled aluminium to produce aluminium reduces raw material requirements by 95 per cent and energy requirements by 90 per cent. A paper mill uses 40 per cent less energy to make paper from recycled paper than it does to make paper from fresh lumber. All this just point out to the fact that the saving and generating of energy from natural sources that do not harm the environment is the prime need to the hour. The organising of Earth Day is not a very old phenomena. It only goes on to say that we have lesser time to take firm actions to save this world that we have. Held annually during spring in the northern hemisphere and autumn in the southern hemisphere, it was founded by US senator Gaylord Nelson. In September 1969, Nelson announced that in spring 1970, there would be a nationwide grassroots demonstration on the environment. The truth about overpopulation was just beginning to dawn on the world and there was a movement towards 'zero population growth'. First celebrated in 1970, Earth Day marks the beginning of the modern environmental movement. As many as 20 million Americans participated with an aim for working towards a healthy and sustainable environment. Today, all over the world, there are organised groups that have been fighting against oil spills, pollution factories and water plans, raw sewage, toxic dumps, pesticides and freeways, loss of wilderness and extinction of wildlife. Issues such as recycling, global warming and clean energy are also being addressed at a massive level. Now there is even an Earth Day Network, which was founded by the organisers of the first April 22 Earth Day in 1970. It promotes environmental citizenship and year-round progressive action all over the world. Activists connect change in local, national and global policies. Today, the network has reached over 17,000 organisations in 174 countries. More than a billion people participate in Earth Day Network campaigns every year. Here, a big responsibility also lies on the shoulders of the corporate world. It should and has, indeed, gone beyond maintaining parks and gardens in the city. Under one such initiative, several companies are shifting towards environment-friendly and energy saving techniques for constructing commercial buildings. Several companies are also organising marches and walk-to-office days. Hotels and restaurants are coming to realise that it also has a positive impact on their bottomline. At the same time, one cannot ignore the importance of locking in and making use of the biggest source of energy - the solar energy. From lanterns, heaters, street lights, home lights and pumps to power packs, solar energy is one source of energy that is non-depleting and comes with a no-hazard guarantee to the environment. The fact that it is reasonable may just be the answer to the country's and even the world's needs for energy and power.