Earth Day is an annual event celebrated on April 22. Worldwide, various events are held to demonstrate support for environmental protection. First celebrated in 1970, Earth Day now includes events in more than 193 countries,which are now coordinated globally by the Earth Day Network.On Earth Day 2016, the landmark Paris Agreement was signed by the United States, China, and some 120 other countries. This signing satisfied a key requirement for the entry into force of the historic draft climate protection treaty adopted by consensus of the 195 nations present at the 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Paris.
Numerous communities celebrate Earth Week, an entire week of activities focused on the environmental issues that the world faces.
HOW CAN YOU HELP THE ENVIRONMENT
1. Find an alternative to bottled water at your next sports or school gathering
- While bottled water is marketed as healthy, it’s certainly not healthy for the planet. Two thirds of plastic water bottles are never recycled. If they are incinerated, they release toxic fumes. It takes over 1.5 million barrels of oil each year to manufacture plastic water bottles for the United States market. That doesn’t even include the oil that’s used to transport the bottled water to the market.
2. Take your reusable bags to the store
- Reusable grocery shopping bags are great for the environment and reduce paper and plastic waste going into our landfills. Also plastic bags aren’t biodegradable and reusable bags are.
- Plant some vegetation
- plants remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and generate the oxygen required for life. Plants are also a good source of food and protection.
- Find an alternative for using your car (bike)
- Bike riding uses minimal fossil fuels and is a pollution-free mode of transport. Bikes reduce the need to build, service and dispose of cars. Cycling 10 km each way to work would save 1500 kg of greenhouse gas emissions each year.
- Recycling
- Recycling is very important as waste has a huge negative impact on the natural environment. Harmful chemicals and greenhouse gasses are released from rubbish in landfill sites. Recycling helps to reduce the pollution caused by waste.
- Take shorter showers
- Turn off the water if you shave or brush your teeth in the shower to save time. Think of baths as an occasional treat and stick to showers. The average bath uses 35 to 50 gallons of water, whereas a 10-minute shower with a low-flow showerhead only uses 25 gallons