How are YOU helping? For 50 years, the Earth Day movement has inspired us to adopt more sustainable ways of living and doing business. On April 22, 1970, the first Earth Day event was organized to draw attention to the effects of the previous 150 years of industrial and technological advancement. Air and water pollution from “oil spills, polluting factories and power plants, raw sewage, toxic dumps, pesticides, freeways” had taken a serious toll on human health.
The movement was successful at bringing awareness to the need for change in the way we were stewarding the planet. As a result, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was established, and new legislation was passed: the National Environmental Education Act, the Occupational Safety and Health Act, the Clean Air Act and the Clean Water Act, the Endangered Species Act, and the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act.
Whatever your personal preferences, campaigns such as a Billion Acts of Green, Foodprints for the Future, The Great Global Cleanup, Artists for the Earth, Athletes for the Earth, Regenerative Agriculture, and Women and the Green Economy (WAGE), encourage citizens around the world to take action in the fight for a healthier Earth. These campaigns are but a sampling of the diversity in opportunities available to those who recognize the importance of preserving the planet for future generations.
For 2021, EARTHDAY.ORG partners with the National League of Cities and ICLEI - Local Governments for Sustainability, to take the issue of climate change to a grass roots level by working with local governments. Through this partnership, efforts are being advanced to encourage cities to work toward significantly reducing carbon and net zero emissions, according to Terra Pascarosa, National Campaign Director, EARTHDAY.ORG.
Recycling is one of the most effective ways to control the impact of industry on the sustainability of the Earth. At DeltaTrak, we’re doing our part through the GoGreen Recycling Program. Why recycle? It reduces the amount of trash in landfills by 35%. The need for raw materials is lower, which preserves natural resources and reduces pollution. Energy is conserved because there is less manufacturing. More than 700,000 jobs are supported each year through various recycling activities. For more information on DeltaTrak’s GoGreen Recycling Program, contact your dedicated account manager or call 1-800-962-6776.
Check out the suggestions below for ideas on how you can be a good steward of Mother Earth.
Earth Day: 51 Ways to Restore Our Earth
https://www.earthday.org/earth-day-tips/
References
“5 Reasons to Recycle - And How You Can Recycle Right,” https://sanjoserecycles.org/5-reasons-to-recycle/, San Jose Recycles, June 30, 2019. Accessed 4/22/21.
“Earthday.org joins forces with National League of Cities and ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability to Drive Climate Action at the Local Level”, https://www.earthday.org/press-release/earthday-org-joins-forces-with-national-league-of-cities-and-iclei-local-governments-for-sustainability-to-drive-climate-action-at-the-local-level/, Earthday.org, April 15, 2021. Accessed 4/22/21.
“The History of Earth Day,” https://www.earthday.org/history/, Accessed 4/20/21.