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🌍 Every April 22, the world unites to honor our shared home, planet Earth. Established in 1970, Earth Day emerged as a powerful response to growing environmental concerns, mobilizing 20 million Americans in a nationwide call for ecological stewardship. Over the decades, it has blossomed into the largest civic observance globally, engaging over a billion people across more than 190 countries (EPA, EarthDay.org).

🍵 This year’s theme is ‘Our Power, Our Planet’, because the future isn’t fossil-fueled, it’s people-powered! Whether it’s planting mangroves, saying “no, thanks” to single-use plastics, or joining a solar co-op, Southeast Asia is flipping the switch on climate action. And we’re here to spill the sustainable tea on Earth Day celebrations.

🇮🇩 Indonesia: Rooting for the Future

🌱 One Million Trees and Counting!

🌳 Indonesia’s Ministry of Religious Affairs turned a big idea into even bigger impact: a nationwide campaign to plant one million trees. As part of the ministry’s new Ekoteologi (eco-theology) program, schools, mosques, churches, temples, and boarding institutions rolled up their sleeves and got planting. This campaign highlights the emphasis on community, spirituality, and legacy.

🏨 Plataran: Hospitality That’s Earth-First

🏜️ Indonesia’s very own Plataran Hotels and Resorts proved that eco-luxury isn’t a contradiction. This is shown through Plataran’s hosting of series that feature immersive experiences across their properties: coral restoration in Menjangan, tree planting in Borobudur, and zero-waste workshops in Puncak. As part of their “Plataran for the Earth” journey, guests are learning how to tread lighter on the planet. Guests can join farm-to-table dinners, and conservation briefings that turns self-care into Earth-care.

🌲 NEC Indonesia Digs Deep

🌳 Corporate Earth Day for NEC Indonesia looks like planting 6,250 trees across key locations in Java. Their aim is a long-term commitment to biodiversity and local economic development, in partnership with conservation NGOs and local governments (The Laotian Times, 2025).

🇵🇭 Philippines: Sprinting Toward Sustainability

🏃‍♂️ Earth Day Run 2025

💪 When the going gets tough, Filipinos get running. Over 16,000 runners are joining the Earth Day Run in Manila, Cebu, and Davao on April 27, with each step pounding a message of climate awareness and resilience. This year's theme is “Run with Purpose”, with categories from 5K to 21K. Participants are making the run for forests, oceans, and cleaner air, where proceeds from the run support long-term reforestation and waste cleanup efforts, spearheaded by the Tzu Chi Foundation (Tribune, 2025).

🛍️ Retail and Reward

🛒 SM Supermalls in the Philippines celebrate Earth Day by hosting recycling-for-vouchers events, where shoppers bring in plastic waste and leave with discount coupons and a cleaner conscience.

🎊 Malaysia: Grassroots, but Make It Festive

🎪 Jom Jaga Bumi!

🎉 In Subang Jaya, Earth Day turns into a carnival of climate action. The “Jom Jaga Bumi” which translates to “Let’s Care for the Earth” fair will feature:

• 🚲 Repair and reuse workshops

• 🪴 Community seed exchanges

• 🧺 Refiller stations

• 🎨 Kids’ upcycling booths

Organized by groups like Zero Waste Malaysia and local eco-preneurs, the event combined culture and conservation with a side of fun (Zero Waste Malaysia, 2025).

🍃 Earth Day KL 2025

🌺 Over in Kuala Lumpur, Earth Day KL at Taman Rimba Kiara brings out families, city officials, and sustainability buffs for a half-day park fest. There is plogging (jogging + picking up trash), local food vendors, and a nature-based storytelling corner. The cherry on top is the city’s Segambut MP giving her official thumbs-up, showing that grassroots events are catching political attention too.

💚 Every seed planted, bag of trash collected, and kilometer run this month has added up to a region rising. No action is too small to make our home, planet Earth, sustainable. So keep:

• 🌴 Planting those trees

• 🥼 Refilling those bottles

• 🐠 Snorkeling with purpose

• ✍️ Telling these stories

🗞️ Recent News

❓ Did you enjoy this week’s issue? If yes, please do forward to your friends who would enjoy the read as well.

📧 Also, feel free to let us know what you thought by giving us feedback at [email protected].

🌊 SEA you next time!

Karina & Massimiliano