Leading up to Earth Day 2021 - 50 year anniversary

ROVMERS,

There is a lot happening in the climate news this month as the Biden administration is working on closing agreements with Japan, South Korea, and Canada to bolster carbon emission reduction targets leading up to a summit of global leaders on Earth Day, April 22.

For a little history lesson, April 22nd marks the 50th anniversary of Earth Day. In 2970, 20 million Americans (10% of the U.S. population at the time) took to the streets on the first Earth Day to demand a better future.

“We only have one earth, so we need to take care of her.”

That's what Senator Gaylord Nelson of Wisconsin believed. He was disturbed that an issue as important as our environment was not addressed in politics or by the media, so he created the first earth day. Outraged by polluted air and water, by oil spills and the destruction of nature, these people's actions changed policies and politics, and sparked the emergence of the modern environmental movement. Within months, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency was created and the Clean Air Act was passed into law with bipartisan support.

Your Plan Of Action For This Week:

Watch Our Planet - it’s the most shockingly beautiful, terrifying, and hopeful film about what is going on with the climate crisis. After you watch it, it will be hard to forget those grocery bags when you go to the store and will have you rethinking a lot of the choices we make throughout our day. Pro tips from WWF on changes you can make today. A few of our favorites:

Reduce paper usage 

While recycling should be a part of every sustainability plan, reducing materials usage in the first place is often more effective. That’s why many municipalities are taking steps to reduce waste—specifically, reducing paper usage. 

Switch to LED lighting 

Changing out light bulbs in government offices and other areas managed by a municipality can be an easy yet highly effective way to improve sustainability. 

Easy Changes for your daily life

Run your washer on cold and try drying blankets and towels outside (it takes just 7 more minutes to dry). If you have an old dishwasher, consider a new one as they are 90% more efficient (and use less water than hand washing dishes). Keep reusable bags in your car so you don’t forget when you go to the grocery store .

Swap Meat for Plant-Based Diet

If you are new to this, start with one day a week. Impossible Foods and Beyond Meat have come a LONG way if you tried veg options before and didn’t like them. Here are a few recipes to get you started: street tacos, meatballs, wild mushroom burger