Happy Earth Day! While we all hopefully try to do our part every day of the year, today is the day we celebrate the importance of global environmental protection. Earth Day was born in the United States in 1970 and is now celebrated worldwide in more than 192 countries.
Did you know?
- The garbage in a landfill will stay there for about 30 years.
- Each person throws away about four pounds of garbage a day.
- We each use about 12,000 gallons of water every year, and a third of that water is used to flush our toilets.
- Each gallon of fuel for an automobile releases 20 pounds of carbon dioxide into the air.
- About 5 million tons of oil produced in the world each year ends up in the ocean.
- Recycled paper requires 64 percent less energy than making paper from wood pulp.
- Every ton of paper that is recycled saves 17 trees.
While we still have a long way to go in our ongoing efforts, the positive effects stemming from that very first Earth Day is now a part of our everyday lives.
For you, it might be recycling, biking or walking instead of driving, switching traditional light bulbs to compact fluorescent light bulbs, or, simply rethinking bottled water.
For me, it’s gardening. Taking care of my little piece of this planet reduces my food-related carbon footprint. Growing my own food versus purchasing at retail reduces the transportation, packaging, and clearing of the land the required grow food in the the first place.
Even the smallest efforts make a difference. Earth Day reminds us of the importance of taking care of our fragile planet.
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