22 April 2022
April 22 – Earth Day
The date of April 22 has been an opportunity to reflect on the current situation of our planet for over 50 years. Today, World Earth Day is celebrated in more than 190 countries around the world. It aims to draw the attention of society, entrepreneurs and politicians to the sensitivity of the surrounding terrestrial ecosystem.
Every year, the main idea is devoted to a selected issue in the field of ecology and environmental protection. This year’s theme for World Earth Day is ‘Invest in Our Planet’. The organizers draw attention to the need to take urgent action to protect nature, for which we as humans are responsible.
How can YOU celebrate Earth Day?
- Limit meat consumption. Producing 1 kg of beef consumes up to 15,000 litres of water, which means that by giving up one beef burger we save more water than if we gave up the shower for approx. 70 days.
- Save water. Drink tap or filtered water instead of buying bottled water.
- When possible, choose a bike instead of a car.
- Limit plastic. Annually, we produce about 350 million tons of plastic that do not decompose, but are deposited in landfills, pollute the oceans and kill animals.
- 5. Give up disposables and use reusable products, such as metal or bamboo straws, cups into which they pour coffee to go in the café, and always take your eco bag for shopping. When buying food out, ask about the type of packaging, and if it is plastic – encourage sellers to use biodegradable packaging.
- Remember about recycling. Separate waste collection and recycling enable the reuse of the material, which reduces the use of natural resources and reduces the amount of waste. Not only plastic, paper, glass or metal are processed but also old clothes and e-waste.
- Save electricity. How to easily save electricity? Use LED bulbs, turn off the computer at night, turn off the light when you leave the room, set the washing machine to wash at a lower temperature, and pull the unused plug out of the contact.
- Be a conscious consumer. Do not buy goods that have arisen as a result of human exploitation and in the production of which environmental protection has not been taken into account. For example, give up palm oil, the production of which causes mass felling or even burning of rain forests, and kills orangutans and other animals. Choose your products wisely and do not support with your purchases companies that operate without respect for the principles of a sustainable economy and environmental protection. Read labels, look for certificates of origin of ingredients from controlled crops and pay attention to fair trade marks.
- Try minimalism. We often buy completely unnecessary things, and to produce them we use already very limited natural resources. If you are far from minimalism, then at least keep shopping in moderation. Does another new t-shirt have to complement our wardrobe? The same is true of food, which is wasted in gigantic quantities in the world. Do thoughtful shopping, do not buy in excess and do not throw away food. Food can be frozen, boiled and processed. Look for recipes in the spirit of zero waste.
- Think about who you are giving your vote to. In terms of taking care of the planet, changes taking place at the national and EU levels are crucial. When casting your vote during the elections, pay attention to the approach of politicians to the sphere of environmental protection, sustainable development, renewable energy sources and the fight against smog.
- Make others aware. Help other people make changes that favour the planet. Share knowledge about global Earth and environmental issues. Be an inspiring example!