Once when I was living in the heart of a pomegranate, I heard a seed saying, “Someday I shall become a tree, and the wind will sing in my branches, and the sun will dance on my leaves, and I shall be strong and beautiful through all the seasons."

On June 5th, 2025, we recognize World Environment Day to encourage awareness and protection of our planet.  The annual celebration dates back to 1972 when the United Nations held in Stockholm, Sweden a landmark conference on the human environment to address concerning international environmental issues, including the depletion of the ozone layer, toxic chemicals, desertification, and global warming. Over the past decades countries around the world have convened to continue the discussion, each year focusing on a particular theme.

In 2026 World Environment Day is being hosted in Baku, Azerbaijan to explore "Inspired by Nature. For Climate. For Our Future."  Climate action, green growth, global cooperation, the COP29 legacy, nature, biodiversity, and restoration are central to the movement that embraces responsibility for human activities affecting climate change and the health of all living things on Earth.

The following articles are drawn from Proquest Historical Newspapers, which informs and inspires classroom teaching and learning.

• Strong Urges Adoption of Pollution Proposals. (1972, Oct 20). The Globe and Mail (1936-) 
• A Day to Observe. (1973, Jun 05). New York Times (1923-) 
• Environment Day. (1974, Jun 05). The Jerusalem Post (1950-) 
• The Environment Takes the Spotlight for the Day. (1978, Jun 01). New York Times (1923-) 
• Tower, S. A. (1982, Mar 07). U.N. Commemoratives. New York Times (1923-) 
• Ghosh, R. (1992, Jun 16). Environmental Push Born in Stockholm: Earth Summit. The Globe and Mail (1936-) 
• Chowdhry, K. (1996, Jun 05). A Road Less Travelled...: ...One That Cooperates with Nature Rather Than Exploits It Is Perhaps the One That India Must Take If It Wants to Achieve a Sustainable Environment and Development of a Different Kind. The Hindustan Times (1924-) 
• Kanungo, G. (2000, Jun 05). Environment in the New Millennium. The Hindustan Times (1924-) 
• Preserving Precious Life. (2007, Jun 05). The Times of India (1861-) 
• Kick the Habit! Go Carbon Low. (2008, Jun 05). The Times of India (1861-) 

Tips:

• Armiero, Marco, et al. Urban Movements and Climate Change: Loss, Damage and Radical Adaptation. Amsterdam University Press, 2023. e-book.
• Mthethwa, Lindiwe C., et al. Education and Climate Change: Discovering Strategies for Individual and Collective Action. Edited by Samantha Govender et al., AOSIS, 2025. e-book.
• Pau, Tan Min, editor. Climate Change and Environmental Perturbations : Impacts on Biodiversity. First edition. Nova Science Publishers, Inc., 2024. e-book.
• Szczęsny, Tomasz. How to Curb Climate Change? : On the Basis of the History of the Climate. 1st ed. Austin Macauley Publishers, 2024. e-book.
• Thangavel, P., and Ji. Śrīdēvi, editors. Environmental Sustainability : Role of Green Technologies. 1st ed. 2015, Springer India, 2015. e-book.
• Additional blogs: World Environment Day, 2023, 2024.

Images: 

• 17th Century Depiction of the Tree of Life in Shaki Khan Palace, Azerbaijan National Art Museum, Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.
• World Environment Day, Courtesy of Canva

Need to keep current, look to the past, teach a topic? The Everett Cafe features daily postings of news from around the world, and also promotes awareness of historical events from an educational context. Be sure to check additional Cafe News postings on the library blog.