WHAT IS EARTH DAY?

Earth day? Yes, every year on 22 April we are celebrating Earth day. It is celebrated all around the world in order to increase awareness among people about the environment. The aim is to encourage people to do things that will benefit the Earth, such as recycling more, using sustainable energy or plant trees.

WHAT IS THE EARTH DAY THEME FOR 2018?

Every year Earth day has a theme. This year people are being encouraged to reduce their plastic consumption and to use more eco-friendly materials. Plastic pollution is a large environmental problem right now. We are creating plastic waste at an astounding rate. In 2015 the total was estimated to be around 6300 million metric tons. What?! Yes, 6300 million metric tons. Only 9% of the world’s plastic is recycled. A lot of our plastic waste accumulates in landfills and the environment. Much of the world’s plastic has ended up in the ocean, where, dispersed by currents, plastic becomes virtually irretrievable, especially once it has fragmented into microplastics. Plastic particles are already found in our sea salt.

WHAT CAN WE DO TO REDUCE PLASTIC WASTE?

Below are some super easy ways to reduce your plastic consumption:

• Bring steel reusable bottles instead of plastic bottles on every trip
• Use reusable bags/ a backpack when you go shopping
• Don’t use plastic straws with drinks where possible
• Use reusable cups, plates, cutlery when you go on a camping trip
• Get the plastic off your face. Avoid creams with “polypropylene” or “polyethylene”
• Pack meals in reusable containers instead of disposable plastic containers and sandwich bags
• Use a razor with replaceable blades instead of a disposable razor
• Make fresh squeezed juice or eat fruit instead of buying juice in plastic bottles.

HOW DID EARTH DAY BEGIN?

The seeds of Earth day were planted in the 1970s, when a small but vocal group of people in the U.S. became increasingly concerned that pesticides, sewage and industrial pollutants were poisoning the air and water and threatening the Earth. Since its inception in the ‘70s, Earth day continues to grow and now it is a global event. What began as a day of environment preservation in the U.S. is now a large-scale push for clean habitat around the world. Earth day is proof that a small group of people can make a global impact in a positive way.

Why only celebrate Earth day once a year? Let’s celebrate Earth day every day and make this world a cleaner and better place!

If you have any tips about reducing plastic waste, let us know. We look forward to you sharing what you are doing.

Happy Earth day!