This year, the theme of Earth Day is “Restore Our Earth”. This past year, with the Coronavirus Pandemic, emissions were down 6.4% worldwide. This is mostly resulting from a drastic decrease in the amount of people commuting to work and an increase in business closure, especially in the first few months of the pandemic. The United States was down 13%, beginning with the initial lockdown state in March. The somewhat brief stop on international travel helped with this as well, and as the pandemic progressed, many people were not flying nationally or internationally, saving on Carbon emissions. However, there is still a lot of work to be done when it comes to combating climate change. While the drop in Carbon emissions in 2020 was a great start, there is much more to do before the world reaches the point where climate change will become irreversible. To mark this timeline, a climate clock was placed in New York City this past year and is constantly counting down to this point, as a reminder that climate change is not as far away as we may think or hope it is. Currently, the climate clock estimates just under 7 years until climate change is irreversible.
This year, for “Restore Our Earth”, there will be a 3-day long climate action plan in honor of Earth Day. During these 3 days, there will be a number of conferences and events for climate leaders to discuss solutions and plans. Among the agenda is a meeting of the global youth climate summit consisting of panels, speeches, and discussions with young climate activists such as Greta Thunberg. On Earth Day - April 22, there will be a live event streaming on EarthDay.org with workshops, informational sessions, panel discussions, and live performances all day long. On the event, EarthDay.org says,
“Topics will include climate and environmental literacy, climate restoration technologies, reforestation efforts, regenerative agriculture, equity and environmental justice, citizen science, cleanups, and beyond. World climate leaders, grassroots activists, nonprofit innovators, thought leaders, industry leaders, artists, musicians, influencers, and more will be involved.”
On a local level, there are many activities and actions that you can take in your own community to celebrate Earth Day and to participate in “Restore Our Earth”. Here are a few ideas to reduce your own environmental impact and to make a difference every day.
There are many actions that you can choose to take throughout your daily life that have big impacts. For more ideas on actions to take, visit https://www.earthday.org/earth-day-tips/ .
This year, for “Restore Our Earth”, there will be a 3-day long climate action plan in honor of Earth Day. During these 3 days, there will be a number of conferences and events for climate leaders to discuss solutions and plans. Among the agenda is a meeting of the global youth climate summit consisting of panels, speeches, and discussions with young climate activists such as Greta Thunberg. On Earth Day - April 22, there will be a live event streaming on EarthDay.org with workshops, informational sessions, panel discussions, and live performances all day long. On the event, EarthDay.org says,
“Topics will include climate and environmental literacy, climate restoration technologies, reforestation efforts, regenerative agriculture, equity and environmental justice, citizen science, cleanups, and beyond. World climate leaders, grassroots activists, nonprofit innovators, thought leaders, industry leaders, artists, musicians, influencers, and more will be involved.”
On a local level, there are many activities and actions that you can take in your own community to celebrate Earth Day and to participate in “Restore Our Earth”. Here are a few ideas to reduce your own environmental impact and to make a difference every day.
- Consider switching to a meatless diet. Every little bit helps - participating in meatless Mondays is a great first step! There are an abundance of delicious plant-based recipes out there that will make you feel great while also reducing emissions resulting from livestock and the food industry.
- Pick up litter and trash around your community - recycle what can be. Not only will it beautify your neighborhood, but it will also help save recyclable waste from ending up in a landfill!
- Buy local food to reduce the distance of distribution from farms to big box grocery stores. Many areas have local farmers’ markets with fresh local produce.
- Plant a tree, or donate to help mediate deforestation. There are many organizations that put donations towards planting trees, such as The Canopy Project, where every dollar plants a tree. Planting trees helps to offset Carbon emissions and improves the quality of air.
- Calculate your personal carbon footprint using an online calculator, and make changes in your daily life to reduce it.
- Try to challenge yourself to use as little plastic as possible! Plastic pollution is one of the most important environmental problems that we face today. Swap out your disposable plastic bottles for reusable ones. Or, try to challenge yourself to see how long you can go without using single-use plastic!
- Reuse: look to repurpose items you already have around your home that you may not use anymore to give them a second life rather than throwing them away. An empty container can make for a great planter, old curtains can make for a clothing item or accessory, and many glass jars can be washed and reused for storage or crafts. Research some DIY repurposing projects for inspiration!
- Stop buying fast fashion. Fast fashion is wasteful and adds to emissions, as the majority of fast fashion items are shipped overseas. Instead, wear out the clothes that you have (and repurpose them as rags or otherwise if possible!), invest in locally made clothing or clothing from an eco-conscious company (such as Everlane), or even shop secondhand.
- Fight food waste by composting! Composting is easy and can even help you out with your own garden.
- Go pesticide free in your yard and garden to protect the bees and other pollinators!
There are many actions that you can choose to take throughout your daily life that have big impacts. For more ideas on actions to take, visit https://www.earthday.org/earth-day-tips/ .
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