By Raegan Densmore
On April 22nd, it is Earth day. Which by the time this is posted, is in the past. However, that doesn’t mean recognizing the health of the Earth has to end. In 2024, the theme is ‘Planet vs. Plastics’. This emphasizes the serious plastic pollution issue. It also encourages the commitment to reducing the use of plastic for a better environment and health of our society.
The goal set for 2040 is reducing up to 60% of plastic production. This means the elimination of single-use plastics, and turning away from fast fashion. Fast fashion and its issues is a topic that I have educated myself on this past year, and am currently presenting a speech about as well. Fast fashion clothing are pieces that are trendy and inexpensive, however are poorer quality. With many micro trends and the pleasure of saving money, this all leads to over consumption. 87% of total fiber input used for clothing ends up in landfills or burned. Around 3,500 chemicals are used when making these clothing and the production causes immense environment and health issues. Fast fashion is typically made out of materials such as nylon, acrylics, and polyester. Because these materials are made from petroleum, they take approximately 1,000 years to biodegrade. Fashion is the third biggest water pollutant, so as a way to combat this and the other serious issues, try to avoid fast fashion, over consumption, and buy clothes you will wear for a long time.
Single use plastics are hard to escape from. They’re everywhere, from plastic straws, to produce bags, food wrappers, and cold coffee and smoothie cups. 9% of plastics ever produced have been recycled. Majority ends up burned or in landfills. The production and incineration of plastics produces many greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide. Plastic waste and littering also causes harm to wildlife on land and in the oceans. Many people are bothered or skeptical about paper alternatives. In fact, in a survey I did recently, 24% of people said they were against plastic alternatives 30.2% said it depends. People do have the right to be skeptical, unfortunately many paper alternatives aren’t much better than plastic. Paper from trees can lead to deforestation, and more carbon emissions, these paper alternatives often end up in landfills as well. Better eco-friendly paper options include bamboo, hemp, and cotton.
So what should we do this Earth day, and going forward, for that matter? There are many options. First off, go for a walk and pick up garbage. This can include on the side of the roads, your local park, and beaches. Chances are, you will find plastic waste. Another thing you can do is recycle! Recycle your plastics, lids, containers, batteries etc. It is important to check out our local waste service, in our case in Hants North, it would be the Municipality of East Hants. On their website you can find information about waste management and more. We as a society should start focusing harder on our environmental impact. This Earth day is meant to bring attention to the impacts of plastic pollution on our planet. If you can participate in this Earth day, you should. Collectively, we can make a change to our Earth for the better.
References
Gorvett, Z. (n.d.). Is paper better than plastic?. BBC News. https://www.bbc.com/future/bespoke
Milton, L. (2023, April 18). Our plastic problem: Impacts of single-use plastics on the
environment. Ontario Nature. https://ontarionature.org/plastic-problem-impacts-of-single
N, A. (2024, April 18). Earth day 2024. Sustainable Development Goals - Resource Centre.
Robyn. (n.d.). 6 eco-friendly paper alternatives for your brand launch. Little Ghost
Creative. https://www.littleghost.ca/resources/6-eco-friendly-paper-alternatives-for-your -brand-launch
Image Citation
Howes, N. (2024, April 22). Earth Day theme urges action as the planet battles plastic pollution.
The Weather Network. https://www.theweathernetwork.com/en/news/climate/impacts/eart
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