Today it’s World Earth Day. And it may be more of a relevant topic than ever. In the current times, where the vulnerability of people and the planet is extra visible. That is why it is important today to pay extra attention to how pollution and waste, in any way, can be prevented. As organizations, but also as individuals.

By the end of 2020, global CO2 emissions has to have fallen by 7.6% and continue to fall by 7.6% every year if we want to keep global warming below 1.5°C, according to the United Nations Environment Programs (UNEP ) Emissions Gap Report 2019. This 50th edition would highlight the theme of climate change through physical events and discussions in various areas. However, due to the current pandemic, these events also had to move to the virtual meeting rooms. Today, various discussions and sessions take place online:

See here the overview of virtual events in various timezones.

Earth Day Origin

Fifty years ago, it was the first Earth Day. In a time of oil pollution, smog and heavily polluted rivers. The American people took to the streets to demonstrate and to enforce a new way of dealing with the environment. The result did not disappoint: a wave of actions were taken, including a new environmental law in America. In the past 50 years, April 22 has been about combating the negative effects of climate change together.

Inspiration: pre-announcement of Sir David Attenborough film – ‘A life on our Planet’

We at No Waste Network think everyday about the theme of food waste and its impact. That is why we would like to share a tip with you. On 16th April, just before Earth Day the film was supposed to premier. Unfortunately, this has been postponed due to the current crisis. The 93 year-old filmmaker Sir David Attenborough (from Planet Earth and The Blue Planet amongst others) indicated in a BBC interview that his message to every individual is that we must stop waste of any kind. Despite not being able to see the film yet, watching the trailer is well worth it.

 

The interview with Attenborough will in any case get us thinking:

 

Want to know more about Earth Day? Visit this website.

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