April is an exciting month…chalk full of Earth Day events that generate all sorts of awareness about our environment. In the spirit of raising awareness, I wanted to share some interesting facts….
-1970 was a big year…the 1st Earth Day was held on April 22 and the EPA was established on December 2.
-The average American’s daily water use (for all purposes, including energy and industry) is 1,500 gallons .
-Of the 100 million tons of plastic produced each year, about 10 percent ends up in the ocean. So, the next time you order seafood, think about what you might be eating.
-China has overtaken the United States as the biggest emitter of greenhouse gases.
-Average waste produced by Americans each day in 2006 was 4.6 pounds per person.
-Paper bags take more water and energy to make than the production of plastic bags. While both are recyclable, why not eliminate them altogether and use reusable bags.
-How many miles does your food travel to get to your plate? An average of 1500 miles, so hit your local farmers market.
-Idling a car engine for more than 10 seconds emits more pollution than turning it off and back on again.
So, as April comes and goes, remember that you can make a difference 365 days a year by incorporating the 3 R’s in your daily decisions…REDUCE, REUSE & RECYCLE.
