Today is earth day. What are you doing to acknowledge and protect our earth today?
This year the emphasis is on reducing plastic pollution as this is harming our planet in so many ways. It is harming animals, marine life, the water ways and ultimately us. So what can we do to help protect our planet?
Earth day originated in the 70s in the United States and its goal was to raise consciousness about the environment, industrial pollution and environmental disasters such as oil spills but also the use of pesticides and the loss of wilderness. The success of the first earth day, led to the passage of laws about water and air pollution and protect wildlife in the US.
In 1990, earth day went global and 141 countries got involved in earth day awareness activities, leading to activites such as recycling becoming more widespread.
What can you do this earth day? There are many things that you can do start doing today in the effort to make your life impact less on the environment and the planet.
Because this year’s theme is reducing single-use plastic we try our best to reduce this in our households. Single-use plastic includes plastic bags, packaging, straws, drink bottles among other things. It is a problem because it is a petroleum-based product which cannot breakdown in the soil and therefore not only causes issues with landfill but also leaches toxic chemicals into the soil (or the products which the single-use plastic packaging holds) which inevitably find their way into waterways, and then even our food. In Australia, finally, plastic shopping bags are on the way out and customers will be encouraged to adopt multi-use shopping bags instead. In many places in Australia, we also have volunteers, donating fabric and sewing cloth shopping bags for free distribution to all (Boomerang bags).
So what can we do as individuals? We can take our own bags to the supermarket. We can buy products in bulk to save both money and excess packaging. We can buy products including cosmetics that are not packaged in plastic. But what else can we do for our planet in general today (and start to integrate into our lives) to celebrate earth today?
Use your car less and car pool.
Use bicycle and/or public transport when you can
Use a more fuel economical car if you can.
Buy energy from renewable sources (wind, solar etc).
Install solar panels if you live in an area blessed with sunshine.
Recycle everything that is recyclable and reuse that which isn't.
Buy your produce from markets fresh from the farmer.
Use more energy efficent appliances.
Turn off the lights when you leave rooms.
Invest in insulation or sealing windows and doors so as to use less energy to heat or cool your house or workplace.
Take quicker less hot showers.
Plant a tree or at least a plant if you live in an apartment and don't have access to a place where you can plant a tree.
Prefer natural or organic skincare products which are not packaged in glass or other recyclable or reusable packaging.
Choose or make natural cleaning products, including detergents.
Choose ethical sustainable fashion.
If you have other ways to help our planet, please share, I would love to hear.