Earth Day: What We Can Do To Help Our Planet?

Earth day is celebrated annually on April 22nd, and is a day to raise awareness and support for environmental issues in our world. Below are some environmental concerns, and some simple changes you can make to your every day life!

Eating less meat products:

The meat and dairy industry is a complex system that is responsible for large scale environmental harm. There are many environmental consequences under the umbrella of meat, but cows make up the epicenter of the issue. When cows burp and fart, they let out a toxic greenhouse gas called methane. According to a Netflix documentary - You Are What You Eat - The Livestock sector produces more greenhouse gasses than the entire global transportation sector. 

Water is also a major environmental concern. Massive amounts of water have to be driven by trucks, as well as used to water corn crops. 

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Just 3 percent of the world's water is freshwater.

Over 1,847 gallons of water is used just to produce 1 pound of beef. 

This is the equivalent of showering for 6 months, or filling 39 bathtubs.

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By eating less meat, we can lower our carbon footprints as individuals, and as a country, and save massive amounts of water. Many meatless meat options are now available on the market, and even having one meatless day a week can make a huge impact on your carbon footprint. 

Using less plastic:

Plastic pollution is another overwhelming issue in our environment, causing harm to ecosystems, animals, and human health. Some plastics, if not recycled, can take anywhere from 20-800 years to break down. Single use plastics is at the root of our problem. These items include plastic bags, plastic straws, utensils, plates, diapers, and water bottles to list a few. According to studies, one million plastic bottles are purchased per minute globally, totaling to 1.5 billion bottles each day. 

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According to studies, 1,000,000 plastic bottles are purchased per minute globally, totaling to 1.5 billion bottles each day. 

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Plastics can end up in the ocean, lakes, rivers etc, through multiple routes. This can include runoff after a storm, high wind gusts, and illegal dumping into the ocean. Plastic can entangle marine life, choke them to death, and leach harmful chemicals into our Waters. Microplastics – tiny particles of plastics – are also a concern, and have been found in our bodies, and newborn babies. According to multiple sources, it is estimated that 100 million marine animals die each year as a direct result of plastic waste in our oceans.

What can we do? Using reusable products such as tote bags, metal water bottles, reusable takeout containers, or skipping the straw and cup lid can all help. These single use plastics may seem necessary, but they really aren't, and the impact they leave on this world do way more harm than good.

Composting at home:

When food waste is thrown into your trash bin, it ends up in the landfill. Could decomposing food get trapped under layers of waste, releasing large amounts of methane that it typically wouldn't release. According to the EPA, food waste contributes to more methane emissions than any other landfilled materials. 

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An estimated 58 percent of methane emissions from landfills 

are from landfilled food waste.

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When food is composted, it releases far less methane, and is able to be processed into fertilizers. This organic material is rich in nutrients, and is a wonderful substance for soil, agriculture and plant growth. 

Recently a new initiative called NYC Smart Compost Bins, has been released, with 24/7 access to free, composting bins in all five boroughs. While not every neighborhood has the program, you can download the free NYC compost app to view if there are any bins near you.