Every April 22nd is Earth’s Day.
Earth, our planetary home, is one of the few things that everyone of us, all 8.1 billion of us, have in common. So, it seems only fitting that we honor our home for at least one day a year and celebrate it together.
Concerned about increasing environmental problems, Senator Gaylord Nelson of Wisconsin organized the first Earth Day. On that day, in 1970, 20 million people participated in shedding light on the various planetary problems humans were creating. The actions of these Earth advocates resulted in the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency (the EPA) on December 2, 1970, the Clean Air Act of 1970, and the National Environmental Education Act of 1990.
Earth Day, 2024, is dedicated to a 60% reduction of all plastic by 2040. According to earthday.org, here are some actions you can take to help make this a reality.
1. Sign the Global Plastics Treaty.
2. Plant a tree or trees.
3. Avoid buying clothing that degrades and harms the environment.
4. Support and make purchases from companies that embrace sustainability and fair trade.
5. Educate yourself. Knowledge is usually the driving force behind change.
6. Take the Plastic Detox Challenge by reducing all your plastic use. Glass and other reusable items help everyone.
7. For those who are not faint of heart, read the following facts sheets regarding our plastic obsession…
a. Disposable Plastic Facts
b. Single Use Plastic Facts
c. Ocean Plastic Facts
d. Microplastics and Drinking Water Facts
e. Facts: The Plastics Threat to Human Health
f. Babies vs Plastics Report
g. Quiz yourself on a bunch of plastic problems to find out just how much you know and/or contribute to our growing global plastic problem.
Let’s clean our home and make a planetary difference together.