April 22nd is international Earth Day, every year. Originally an awareness campaign, Earth Day is these days observed by millions of people across the globe. This year, hundreds of people took to the streets in the U.K. to protest against the industrial impact on the environment.
With global climate change now a very real threat, Earth Day holds even more important than ever before. What originally started out as turning off the lights in your space for an hour has now become a global movement.
Earth Day: Making the Earth Healthier
This year, the week leading up to Earth Day 2019 saw almost 3,000 cleanups across the United States by local communities. The Earth Day organization and grassroots movements led the charge for people to clean up green spaces, urban areas, and waterways in the buildup to April 22nd. As more people realize they have a right to expect to live in a clean space, they realize they can exercise that right by cleaning up their space themselves.
Earth Day still serves its primary purpose pretty well. It encourages people to think about the Earth we live on. It helps people reflect on how they can play their part in making the Earth a better place to live in. The Earth needs to be a healthy, habitable space for us to continue to live on it. But the way things have proceeded so far is alarming.
Global biodiversity has taken a sharp decline, thanks to pesticides and the human destruction of natural habitats. Thoughts like these force people to change their perception about the Earth being an unchanging place.
On the other hand, global pollution levels are at an all-time high. An alarming 8 million people die prematurely every year due to pollution-related health problems. This is according to a shocking report by the World Health Organization With the Ozone layer depleting rapidly, exposure to harmful UV rays from the sun increases every day. Pollutants and industrial toxins in the air, water, and ground have reached unsustainable levels. Earth Day is perhaps the best opportunity for humans to come together and adopt practices that can help save the world.
5 Earth Day Resolutions
Here are 5 Earth Day Resolutions you should follow this year:
- I Will Exercise Outdoors
- I Will Cut Back on Meat
- I Will Unplug My Electronics like Cable TV When Not in Use
- I Will Add Plants to My Home
- I Will Stop Using Plastic Bags
I Will Exercise Outdoors
Exercising outdoors has proven benefits for improving your health. When you exercise outdoors, you consume less energy than you would with indoor equipment like treadmills. If enough people start exercising outdoors, we could significantly reduce the energy footprint of full-time gyms and home workouts. Outdoor exercises also reduce cortisol levels in your body. Cortisol, better known as the stress hormone, goes down as you exercise in the open. Do yourself and the Earth a solid and start working out outdoors.
I Will Cut Back on Meat
Many researchers believe a vegan lifestyle is the only way to substantially save the planet. The global food system will come under more pressure. The high consumption of processed meats and red meats may result in increased efforts to meet food demand. An omnivorous lifestyle puts more pressure on the food system than a vegan lifestyle. So cut out the meats and bring in the greens.
I Will Unplug My Electronics When Not in Use
You may not know this, but electronic appliances and devices consume energy even when they’re not switched on. Since they aren’t in use, most of this energy goes to waste. Try getting into the habit of unplugging your electronics at night, or when you go out. Unplugged electronics will improve the energy efficiency of your space. They will also help you save significantly on your electricity bill.
I Will Add Plants to My Home
Plants and greenery add a pleasant, soothing vibe to any space. But plants did not evolve for decorative purposes. Having greenery or plants at home or work can help regulate the temperature in your space. Plants also act as natural air purifiers. Certain houseplants can reduce carbon dioxide levels in your space and improve oxygen levels. Having greenery in your space also has a calming, soothing effect, leading to lower levels of stress.
I Will Stop Using Plastic Bags
Disposable plastic bags, like the type you get at a supermarket, are one of the biggest pollutants on the planet. Plastic is non-biodegradable, meaning it does not rot away because of natural chemical processes. Plastic lasts almost forever and is slowly clogging up most of our planet, especially the seas. If enough people stop using plastic bags, we could lessen the harmful impact they have on the Earth’s flora and fauna.