Earth Day was first celebrated in 1970 when Senator Gaylord Nelson made it part of the national agenda.
Our planet is a precious place and it deserves to be nurtured. But over the years, this home of ours hasn't been treated well, and celebrating a single day in the whole year in its honor is not enough. Earth Day was first celebrated in 1970 when Senator Gaylord Nelson made it part of the national agenda. Until then, it was perfectly normal and legal for industries to spew black smoke into the air or dump toxic waste into a nearby stream.
With the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency in December 1970, the country began to have rules about how industrial waste and pollution will be tackled with. Now, these details might seem boring, but they are important regardless. These rules and policies keep us safe and healthy. They were made on the national level, but we can do many things as individuals to celebrate the day too.
While Earth Day 2021 was on April 22, there is no reason to not spend every day taking care of our planet. When we take care of the blue dot we call our home, we are also taking care of ourselves, our families, and the billions of people who live here. It might seem overwhelming but all big tasks can be broken down into smaller ones. So, here are six ways in which you can help the planet:
While we may have heard this slogan for most of our lives, it's possible that we don't have enough clarity on what can be recycled or reused. When it comes to reduction, it means that if we reduce our consumption of things like electricity, water, and even food, we can help the planet. There might be some questions about what can be recycled and what can't be. You might find the answers to your questions here.
Conserving water is a no-brainer since there is only a limited amount of potable water on this planet. There are many water resources that have gotten polluted or are overtaxed. It is important to not use up all the fresh water in the next few generations if we care about the future. Some tips and tricks to save water include turning taps off tightly to prevent drips, repairing leaks quickly, using the conserver/water-miser cycle on dishwashers, as per The Water Project.
Composting can be done at home since we generate plenty of food waste and yard trimmings. The microorganisms break down these natural elements into a nutrient-rich soil amendment or mulch that can be used in yards, gardens, and potted plants. This is also an inexpensive way of managing organic waste, as per The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (SCDHEC). The organic waste can be of use to us instead of landing up as landfill.
There are many options that can be used to replace plastic, for instance, Pyrex and Mason Jars. Instead of plastic, we can buy glass cups, plates, Tupperware, and other products that are affordable too. By avoiding plastic, we avoid the toxins and the manufacture of plastic. "Plastics manufacture makes up 4.6% of the annual petroleum consumption in the U.S., using roughly 331 million barrels per year,” as per a study published in Degruyter.
We may not realize this but our household cleaners are pollutants. Cleaning supplies have been contributing to smog and reduced quality of tap water. There are products that can be used as alternatives to the present chemical-fuelled cleaning products. They are going to be safer for your home and surrounding environment safer, as per HuffPost.
Organic products help promote a less polluted agricultural system, which can be one of the biggest contributors to resource degradation. When we make purchases at the grocery store or farmer’s market, we are choosing what kind of agriculture system we want. When we pick the organic system, where synthetic herbicides and pesticides aren't used, it makes the world a better place. These chemicals can harm the water, air, and environment, and of course, our bodies.
Now tell us, what do you do to celebrate Earth Day every day?
References:
https://www.epa.gov/history/epa-history-earth-day
https://scdhec.gov/environment/recycling-waste-reduction
https://thewaterproject.org/water_conservation_tips
https://scdhec.gov/environment/recycling-waste-reduction/composting-recycling-naturally
https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.1515/reveh-2012-0030/html
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/8-ways-to-make-every-day-earth-day-and-why-it-matters_b_9753996
Cover image source: Getty Images | Photo by Sarayut Thaneerat
