April 22nd marks the 45th anniversary of Earth Day! Founded by Gaylord Nelson, a US Senator, on April 22, 1970, Earth Day tries to bring global awareness to the pollution of our environment. The cause gained global attention in 1990 with over 200 million people in 184 countries participating in Earth Day events. The theme for this years Earth Day is “It’s Our Turn to Lead”. It is urging citizens to help take action to urge policy makers to pass a binding climate change treaty that is going to be voted on in Paris in December. Here are a few fun facts about Earth Day and ways that you can help change the environment:
- Each person throws away about four pounds of garbage everyday
-Homes and cars account for nearly half of America’s greenhouse gases.
-One bus holds the same amount of people as forty (yes 4-0) cars.
-Only 27% of newspapers are recycled. If they were, we could save a quarter of a billion trees per year!
So what can you do to minimize environmental pollution?
-Plant a tree! Tree’s give off good carbon dioxide and provide the oxygen we need to live.
-Carpool, walk or ride a bike as often as you can. Walking and biking also can help you get your daily exercise!
-And remember: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle!
