Make Earth Day Last All Year Long

Posted on Apr 23, 2012 in Sustainable Living & Sustainable Lifestyle by Matthew Speer 2 Comments

Every April 22^nd people across the planet take a moment to think about the Earth and how we can help protect it from our own wasteful practices. This year, more than 1 billion people in 192 countries got involved with celebrating the 42^nd Earth Day, according to the Earth Day Network. Examples of worldwide involvement were reported from each end of the world, from Washington D.C. to Australia, even Iraq had over 1 million students participate in Earth Day activities. While Earth Day has come and gone this year, your chance to go green is always at your fingertips, all you have to do is try.

Understanding How Earth Day Was Started

Earth Day was first started in 1970, thanks to Senator Gaylord Nelson and his push to make the environment become part of the national agenda. Prior to 1970, American’s pumped leaded gasoline into their inefficient cars and companies had little to fear from dumping toxic waste into nearby streams or spewing black mercury filled clouds into the air. It was not until Senator Nelson was able to inspire a nation, mobilizing 20 million Americans in cities across the U.S. to take action on the very first Earth Day.

Amazingly, the first ever Earth Day worked and in that same year President Nixon authorized the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in response to public demand for clean water, land and air. This paved the way for the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act and the more recent Mercury and Air Toxins Standards known as the EPA’s MATS rules.

How to Make Everyday Earth Day

The great thing about celebrating Earth Day is that there is national press coverage and thousands of communities come together to organize eco-friendly events, like recycling drives. However, on the 23^rd of April, the day after Earth day, the press coverage and excitement begins to fade away. Proof of this is found in a recent report by the Christian Science Monitor, where they found that people are wasting more water and buying less natural products than just a few years ago. It went on to uncover that the portion of American’s concerned about the planet has fallen to 34 percent down from 43 percent just three years ago.

This means it is more important than ever to work towards a sustainable living, reducing your impact on Mother Earth. Try taking some small steps to lessen your impact, like taking reusable bags to the grocery store instead of using plastic or paper bags. Stop buying bottled water; instead take a reusable water bottle when you are on the go, this alone will reduce waste, conserve water and save energy.

Go Green and Find Reusable Water Bottles Now

While we could provide you with an endless supply of going green tips, the best advice we can give is to simply think about your impact on the environment. Just asking yourself if you need this item or can this be recycled is the first step to a sustainable earth. So don’t wait until next April to celebrate Earth Day, get started now and make every day Earth Day.