Earth Day April 22nd -Trying to be greener

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Being green and saving the planet was at the forefront of the media in the first half of 2008. With a rapidly deteriorating economic situation the recession has supplanted the environment as the main issue of concern for most people. Save yourself before trying to save the planet is the new motivation for millions of unemployed workers around the planet.

To make matters worse the green movement has not been very successful in making sustainable development easier to understand for the average consumer.  It is often difficult for consumers to make sense of all the jargon behind carbon footprint, cap and trade or simple recycling issues. For Earth Day we suggest a simpler approach: JUST TRY TO BE A LITTLE GREENER.

Most consumers want to be greener but cannot necessarily be green all the time. Let’s face it we cannot always Reduce, Reuse or Recycle. Starbucks for instance cannot provide recyclable cups before 2015 and how many of you carry a clean mug in the car?

Earth Day is celebrated every year on April 22nd. It was founded in 1970 by U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson as an environmental teach-in, and was celebrated in more than 150 countries. On the 22nd of April, 1970, Earth Day marked the beginning of the modern environmental movement. Approximately 20 million Americans participated during the first Earth Day, with a goal to promote a healthy, sustainable environment.

We suggest five simple ways to be greener for Earth Day and apply a simple and somewhat cliché principle: Think global, Act local.

1. Do the right thing: Recycle as much as possible. Not everything is recyclable and until it is we will just have to do our best to minimize what ends up in garbage. You can also buy goods made from recycled materials

2. Water is life: Think about it and conserve it. It is a simple as turning the tap off when you brush your teeth. Avoid single-use water bottles and carry a reusable bottle.

3. Shop for the environment: cut down on packaging. Buy reusable shopping bags and say no to single service plastic bags

4. Don’t litter and don’t tolerate people who do. Remember you are only a passenger on this Earth.You wouldn’t throw garbage in your car and sit in it.

5. Leave the car at home from time to time: Take the bus or walk today. Buy a bicycle and use it for small errands.

Earth Day 2007 was one of the largest Earth Days to date, with an estimated billion people participating in the activities in thousands of places around the world. Imagine what a billion, mobilized and motivated consumers can do in a day to Reduce, Reuse or Recycle and keep doing it the rest of the year. It is all about being just a little greener.

Tagged as: 22nd, April, Earth, Greener, Trying