A Family Guide to Earth Day 2024
By Jeff Bogle
Apr 04, 2024
Earth Day, earth day activities, environment, sustainable living, pollution, climate change, plastic pollution, reduce waste
For over 50 years, Earth Day has been a beacon of hope, education, and action, a way for individuals and communities across the country to become actively involved in the betterment of the planet. Often an Earth Day activity or event is where a person may have first learned how to reduce plastic waste or the value of sustainable living, and when they start to invest in our own and only planet. Earth Day 2024 Planet vs Plastics is the epic battle that will impact our and our children's lives for decades to come. Let's take a look at this year's theme, why plastic pollution and climate change are the interconnected environmental concerns of this generation, and how you and your family can get involved.
What is the theme for Earth Day 2024?
The theme of Earth Day this year is all about the work needed to do to move the planet closer to being less reliant on plastics. In fact, Earth Day 2024 encourages individuals, businesses, and governments to take action against plastic pollution to combat the global plastic pollution crisis. This will be accomplished through clean up events across the country and ongoing environmental education about the harmful impacts of plastic particles on our world and single-use plastics in our daily life. The negative health implications of plastic in our air and water are ominous, which is why it's a showdown, Earth Day 2024 Planet vs Plastics, to demand the business and industrial communities commit to a 60% reduction in the production of ALL plastics by 2040. This is an ambitious but necessary goal that you and your family can participate in and help with, starting by using #PlanetvsPlastics to share your thoughts and actions on social media before, during, and after Earth Day 2024.
Why is plastic pollution such a big problem?
Plastic pollution is a big problem because plastic is not biodegradable. This means that it will be around for far longer (up much as 1,000 years longer) than other trash. Too much plastic in the world is also an issue because a lot of it makes its way into rivers, seas, and oceans. It's been reported that upwards of 80% of trash in the planet's water originated on land and was swept away. Water pollution then impacts marine life and our drinking water.
What can I do to help reduce plastic pollution?
You won't be able to sign the UN treaty on plastic pollution, but from shopping at businesses that are actively working to reduce plastic pollution and to end fast fashion to using Instagram and Facebook to spread the word about Earth Day 2024 on social media, you can make a meaningful difference in the fight to reduce plastic waste in 2024. Here are 4 things to start doing right now!
1. Just say no to single-use plastics and microbeads
A whopping 90% of the plastic we regularly use in our daily lives is used only once. Single-use plastics are an unnecessary hazard to our planet and one of the first and easiest ways you can practice sustainable living and reduce plastic waste in the process. Say no to using disposable plastics like plastic grocery bags, plastic wrap, disposable cutlery, straws, and coffee lids. Sustainable living is habit forming and one way, through your demonstrated actions, to quietly educate others about the issue of plastic pollution. Additionally, try to avoid beauty products with microbeads, the tiny plastic beads in facial scrubs, toothpaste, body washes, and more everyday products. Because they are so small, these microbeads sneak through water-treatment plants and can look like food to marine animals once they reach rivers and oceans. Thankfully, there are natural exfoliants that work the same but won't hurt the planet in the process.
2. Stop buying bottled water
There are 20 billion plastic bottles are thrown away every year. That’s “billion” with a ‘B'! Sadly, recycling efforts are not enough anymore to justify the use of disposable water bottles. Reusable bottles are inexpensive and plentiful and filtered tap water is also becoming more abundant in airports, malls, parks, and in other public places, making ditching the disposable bottles even easier.
3. Shop secondhand
Fast fashion, cheap electronics, and toys caked in plastic packaging are nothing short of an ecological disaster. None of that stuff is good for your bank account, either. Seek out secondhand and thrift stores to reduce plastic pollution and save money at the same time. Plus, vintage threads and retro products are always in style!
4. Vote with your dollar
Support organizations and buy from stores that are working to reduce plastic pollution by eliminating plastic bags, plastic straws, and disposable cutlery in favor of alternatives that help with climate change.
How can I get involved in Earth Day 2024?
No matter what you do this spring to help the planet by reducing your dependence on and use of plastic, use #PlanetvsPlastics to share your thoughts and actions on social media. This way, your thoughtful words and helpful actions at home and in your local community can educate and inspire others. Participating in local Earth Day clean up events is another way to walk the walk when it comes to being an environmentalist fighting against plastic pollution.
What is the future of plastic pollution?
Did you know that plastic began as a sort of environmental material? It's true! Plastic was created over 150 years ago as a substitute for ivory, to prevent elephants from becoming extinct while fulfilling consumer demand for certain products. To ensure planet Earth sticks around like the elephant, ideally, plastic pollution would have no future at all, but of course, plastics will still be made, used, and disposed of. The hope then, is that by reducing the amount of single-use plastic we rely on every day, recycling efforts will be more productive and efficient. For this to truly take hold, we must come to understand that reducing plastic pollution won't mean changing the way we live our lives. Not at all, actually! What the Earth Day 2024 Planet vs Plastics theme aims to drive home for the benefit of our only home is that business and governmental leaders must pivot to creating products made of different materials, and individuals and organizations should start thinking more about how they can maximize the life of the plastic products that must still be used.
