Celebrating Earth Month With Science & Art
Earth Day is celebrated annually on April 22, with a theme "Our Power, Our Planet" as designated by EarthDay.Org for both 2025 and 2026. This theme serves as a call to action for individuals, communities, politicians, and businesses to leverage their collective influence to drive environmental change. The EarthDay.org campaign centers on the urgent transition to renewable energy, with a specific global goal to triple clean electricity generation by 2030.
Today, around 80% of global energy still comes from fossil fuels, leaving economies vulnerable to shocks. Yet renewables have been gaining ground: in 2025, wind and solar for the first time supplied more electricity to the EU than fossil fuels, driven by falling costs and rapid expansion. Countries like Spain and Portugal already cover much of their demand with green energy, showing how a decentralized, resilient power system could reduce future risks, emphasizing that environmental progress continues through grassroots efforts—such as community problem-solving and local innovation - even amidst wars, political or policy uncertainty.
A report on energy infrastructure resilience around the world, by Energy World Mag, ranks the electrical grids in 76 countries, examining how clean, efficient, and resilient their energy systems are (CESI Score). A spokesperson from Energy World Magexplains,
“Some of the world’s cleanest power systems benefit from geography as much as policy. Iceland and Norway sit on enormous natural advantages such as geothermal energy and large hydroelectric resources, and replicating their grid models elsewhere can be difficult. For other countries, building low-carbon systems without those advantages will require far larger investments in infrastructure and storage technologies.”
In this report, European nations dominate global rankings for clean electricity, with Iceland leading with the lowest carbon intensity (28 gCO₂/kWh). Norway holds the second spot, using roughly 61.4% renewable energy, ensuring sustainable grids. Switzerland is ranked number 3, highlighting top-tier efficiency with low primary energy consumption per GDP unit.
| Countries | Primary energy consumption per GDP (kWh/$) | Alternative and nuclear energy (% of total energy use) | Electricity production from hydroelectric sources (% of total) | Fossil fuel energy consumption | Carbon Intensity (gCO₂/kWh) | WB Renewables (% of TFEC) | CESI Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iceland | 3.979 | 89.3 | 70.2 | 10.3 | 28.00 | 82.40% | 86.76 |
| Norway | 1.104 | 50.6 | 89.1 | 46.3 | 30.75 | 61.40% | 79.37 |
| Sweden | 1.258 | 49.2 | 40 | 24.9 | 34.89 | 57.90% | 78.16 |
| Switzerland | 0.519 | 45 | 55.9 | 44.5 | 29.57 | 27.70% | 73.57 |
| France | 0.860 | 46.7 | 11.5 | 46.5 | 40.83 | 16.20% | 72.65 |
| Finland | 1.418 | 35.3 | 18.7 | 32.7 | 66.93 | 50.20% | 71.11 |
| New Zealand | 1.158 | 38.7 | 59.5 | 55.4 | 119.66 | 28.90% | 66.17 |
| Brazil | 1.171 | 17.3 | 60.2 | 49.4 | 106.06 | 46.50% | 63.7 |
| Denmark | 0.659 | 13.9 | 0.1 | 50 | 131.33 | 39.50% | 60.73 |
| Slovenia | 1.018 | 32.8 | 33.3 | 57.8 | 230.40 | 23.40% | 60.6 |
You can check the full report findings by following this link.
My environmental Flag CCL series that has been endorsed by Freedom 250, which is a national initiative launched by President Donald Trump to lead the celebration of the 250th anniversary of American independence on July 4, 2026, honoring U.S. history, fostering patriotism, and highlighting innovation, is an event at Earthday.org hosted by four museums:
- Putnam History Museum: Rose Flag CCL;
- National Lighthouse Museum: Ocean Lovers - Angel Fish Flag CCL;
- Havre de Grace Maritime Museum: Hydrangea & Rose Flag CCL;
- Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University:
- Ocean Lovers – To the Core Flag CCL
- Tree of Life/Tectonic Flag CCL
- Atmosphere Flag CCL;
- Space Flag CCL
Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University (LDEO)
The LDEO is a renowned research institute of Columbia University, that specializes in studying Earth's natural systems. LDEO scientists were among the first to map the seafloor, provide proof for the theory of plate tectonics and continental drift, and develop a computer model that predicted El Niño events. LDEO’s research covers everything from the formation of the Earth, moon, and solar system to the movement of carbon and other materials through the Earth System, including its atmosphere, oceans, and land, using different types of Earth materials from sediments to cave deposits to tree rings to identify past climate shifts and changes.
For Earth month Stacey Vassallo, Senior Director of Development and Leadership Giving, Columbia Climate School, LDEO, explained that
“At Lamont, we’re gearing up for Earth Day on April 22, with a few event opportunities to keep people connected with Lamont scientists’ critical work, from addressing sea level change[1] and air pollution[2] to analyzing samples from NASA[3] to gain insight into the origin of the universe.”
In addition, Café LDEO is hosting the art show Paradise about World Heritage Site Lord Howe Island, Australia, by Scientist, Photographer, Author Ian Hutton, and Author and Artist Selva Ozelli.
HMVC Gallery - Full Bloom New York, NY
HMVC Gallery New York is celebrating Earth Month and the start of spring with its April online and Times Square Jumbotron group exhibition, titled "Full Bloom", which runs from April 1st to April 30th, 2026. The show highlights the botanical form in art, featuring diverse submissions from 46 artists articulating traditional botanical precision to contemporary abstract interpretations of flowers.
Gallerists and husband-and-wife duo Heini Mika and Vincent Chang curated the exhibition, which headlines Ilhan Sayin’s painting titled "NY’s Roses". The show aims to explore the diverse representations of flowers as a universal language across cultures. They explained,
“The importance of flowers in visual culture represents an enduring, worldwide tradition. Stretching from the delicate ink-wash plum blossoms of the East to the lush, brooding Vanitas still lives of the Dutch Golden Age, across every culture, flowers have acted as a silent, universal language. Whether they represent the fragility of life, the fire of passion, or the quietude of grief, the significance of the botanical form in art is undeniable.”
This art show's silent botanical language highlights New York's pivotal shift in its green energy transition, with Governor Kathy Hochul proposing to alter the 2019 Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA) to alleviate surging energy costs bolstered by the war in the Middle East, setting up a major legislative battle over the pace of climate action. While state agencies warn that adhering to the original 2030 targets could result in significant cost increases for households, climate advocates argue that reducing the ambition of the law is a mistake that overlooks the long-term benefits of renewable energy.
National Lighthouse Museum, Staten Island, NY
National Lighthouse Museum, which hosts my Ocean Lovers – Angel Fish Flag CCL marks Earth Month with a new art exhibition from April 2 to June 10 titled "Lighting the Way" by Robert Padovano of original paintings spotlighting New York’s maritime heritage, with his artistic rendition of waterways, vessels, and lighthouses in the New York City area.
New York’s major waterway climate initiatives include Governor Hochul’s proposed $3.75 billion for water quality improvements and investments from the Environmental Bond Act. Key actions focus on nature-based shoreline protection, upgrading sewage infrastructure to handle intense storms, reducing toxic PFAS contamination, and creating "living shorelines". These initiatives are heavily supported by the Environmental Protection Fund ($425 million) and the Environmental Bond Act, which together aim to boost NY’s coastal resilience and improve water quality.
Havre de Grace Maritime Museum - America at 250 Havre de Grace, MD
Hosted by the Havre de Grace Maritime Museum from January 31 – July 5th, 2026
America at 250 is a collective exhibition connecting the USA’s maritime heritage, environmental consciousness, and artistic interpretation of flags, including my Hydrangea & Rose Flag CCL and landmarked lighthouses, in a powerful celebration of 250 years of American history.
Sofia Fonseca, the founder of Teiduma, explained,
“The exhibition brings together the work of Alfons Rodríguez alongside an international group of artists and colleagues: Semine Hazar, Ian Hutton, Fatma Kadir, Maria Krasnopolsky, Selva Ozelli, Ilhan Sayin, and Mary Tiegreen.
The exhibition offers a reflective and visually compelling dialogue on the USA’s history, identity, landscape, and shared futures at this significant milestone.
Alfons Rodríguez's contribution, including works from The Melting Age series, situates environmental awareness within broader historical and cultural narratives, reminding us that national anniversaries are also moments to reflect on responsibility, resilience, and continuity.”
The America at 250 exhibition has been endorsed by Freedom 250. A meet the artists event will be hosted by the museum on April 25th, around Earth Day weekend.
America at 250
Sources and References:
[1] https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfpN949L3x90uV9-VmQLws4LkukAfaVsj-VTPCIO4XKg9kPUQ/viewform
[2] https://columbiauniversity.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_rhgky8qoRa-yaXxhuSue2A#/registration
[3] https://www.eventbrite.com/e/nasas-billion-samples-space-rocks-open-science-and-the-era-of-ai-tickets-1985825470439?aff=oddtdtcreator&keep_tld=true
Glossary Terms:
Selva Ozelli Esq, CPA is a legal and finance executive with diversified experience dealing with highly complex issues in the field of international taxation and related matters within the banking, securities, Fintech, alternative and traditional investment funds. Her first of its kind legal analyses involving tax laws, Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), blockchain technology, solar technology and the environment and have been published in journals, books and by the OECD. Her writings have been translated into 15 languages.
