World Environment Day is held annually on June 5 and this year marks its 50th anniversary since it launched in 1973.
The day is celebrated by millions of people around the world and each year has a different theme much like International Women’s Day.
This year the focus is on a solution to the global issue of plastic pollution with the theme #BeatPlasticPollution.
So what’s the difference between Earth Day and World Environment Day?
Earth Day is held on April 22 or in some countries on March 21, the day of the Spring Equinox in the Northern Hemisphere and is focused on ways to protect the environment. Kicking off in 1970, the aim is to encourage students, local communities and governments to create positive change for the planet.
By contrast, World Environment Day is led by the United Nations Environment Programme and is its most important platform for raising awareness about the environment.
With the focus this year on plastic pollution, it’s worth considering that of the 400 million plus tonnes of plastic produced every year, half of it is designed to be used only once.
So, what can we do to help stop plastic pollution? Well, below is a sustainability app that will help you do your part to reduce your plastic usage, particularly single use plastic.
My Little Plastic Footprint – Apple and Google
My Little Plastic Footprint is a free app designed to analyse how your daily habits affect your plastic consumption, and what you can do about it. The app will show you ways to swap bad plastic habits for good ones and point out all the plastic waste in your own home.
My Plastic Diary
Did you know the average consumption of plastic annually per person is 30 kilograms?
Horrendous right? Well by counting the weight of plastic you consume annually will hopefully help you reduce your daily intake. That’s the idea of keeping your own Plastic Diary. Just like using a calorie counter, you can work out your plastic consumption and start imposing a daily plastic limit. The objective is to track your behavioural change and feel good in the knowledge you are doing something to help improve the environment.
Get ready for Plastic Free July
You can also get ready to take part in Plastic Free July This is a global movement that helps focus on the importance of reducing single use plastics so we can have cleaner oceans, streets and communities we live in. By pledging to go plastic free for the month, you will pick up handy tips and be more conscious of what you can do to help improve the world we live in.
