On Friday, April 22, Earth Day was celebrated around the world, making it the 46th year of recognizing the beautiful place that we call home. Every year, environmental activists encourage people everywhere to join the movement of “going green” by partaking in simple tasks like recycling and planting trees. However, this year, numerous countries took Earth’s safety into their own hands.

In New York City, representatives from 175 nations signed the Paris Agreement, which deals with the severity of greenhouse gas emissions. Originating from a climate conference that took place in Paris last December, the agreement covered the actions of controlling climate temperature, adapting to negative climate change and ensuring that more money is spent on initiatives that generate fewer greenhouse gases. Although the agreement will not be in effect until 2020, our world is already taking a monumental step toward reducing global warming.

“No agreement is perfect, and this one must be strengthened over time, but groups across every sector of society will now begin to reduce dangerous carbon pollution through the framework of this agreement,” said former Vice President Al Gore.

This year’s Earth Day was a unique day in our planet’s history. With the combination of the Paris Agreement and the efforts of individuals to raise awareness every day, we continue to work toward an eco-friendly environment. Despite challenges, it is crucial to treat our planet like it’s Earth Day every day, in order to preserve it for future generations.