Earth Day 2024: Planet vs. Plastics

The History Of Earth Day

Earth Day originated in the United States in 1970, as a response to concerns about air pollution, oil spills, and a lack of national consciousness surrounding environmental protection.  A group of senators recruited a young activist, Denis Hayes, to organize campus teach-ins to grow awareness.  The effort soon broadened to include a wider range of participants, and on April 22, 1970, over 20 million Americans took to the streets in protest for clean air, water, and land. These demonstrations and focus on environmental sustainability led to the creation of the United States Environmental Protection Agency and adoption of other new environmental laws. Some of this new legislation included the National Environmental Education Act,  the Occupational Safety and Health Act, the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, the Endangered Species Act, and the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act.

In 1990, Earth Day went global, mobilizing 200 million people in 141 countries worldwide. And, in 2015, several leading industrial nations signed the Paris Agreement, creating the first ever legally binding international treaty on climate change.

Earth Day 2024 – “Planet vs. Plastics”

The theme of Earth Day 2024 is a powerful one, “Planet vs. Plastics.” According to earthday.org, Planet vs. Plastics “unites students, parents, businesses, governments, churches, unions, individuals, and NGOs in an unwavering commitment to call for the end of plastics for the sake of human and planetary health, demanding a 60% reduction in the production of plastics by 2040 and an ultimate goal of building a plastic-free future for generations to come.”

Goals of Earth Day 2024 Include:

• Promoting widespread public awareness of the damage done by plastic to human, animal, and all biodiversity’s health and demanding more research be conducted on its health implications, including the release of any and all information regarding its effects to the public.
• Rapidly phasing out all single use plastics by 2030 and achieving this phase out commitment in the United Nations Treaty on Plastic Pollution in 2024.
• Demanding policies ending the scourge of fast fashion and the vast amount of plastic it produces and uses.
• Investing in innovative technologies and materials to build a plastic-free world.

How Businesses & Recyclers Can Make A Difference!

Jeffrey Sanderson once said, “If you care about the environment and how it will affect mankind, then recycling shouldn’t take a second thought.” 

If that powerful quote isn’t enough to move business owners to action, the simple fact that recycling and compacting waste reduces the number of truck pulls, carbon emissions, space in the landfill, and overall costs related to waste management definitely should!

From rural areas to oceans, PET bottles and food containers are polluting the environment at an alarming rate. This is especially true in third world countries outside of the United States, but America isn’t immune to the growing problem of plastic pollution.

Recycling plastics is just one way that all businesses, food and beverage manufacturers, municipalities, and recyclers can all help to make the world a better place for generations to come. Due to the enormity of the plastics pollution problem, it is time for all of these entities to become leaders in sustainability and forward “green thinking.”

This Earth Day, consider researching what a plastics baler could do for your bottom line, and the environment.  You will find that there is a fast return on your investment, with added safety, cleanliness, and efficiency in your operations. This is especially true for recycling plastics. From small manually fed recycling balers all of the way to conveyor fed automatic systems, there are affordable, long lasting solutions available for any budget.

Not only is removing plastic from your company’s waste stream environmentally responsible, it helps to brand your company as sustainability-minded, a quality that today’s consumer values as much as product offerings, price, or customer service. Recycling plastics will help your bottom line in more ways than one!

Individual community members can make a difference, too!  Start by separating household plastic containers and PET bottles from your normal trash and include them in your recycling bins instead.  This small change can help drive the change we need to deal with this challenging problem!

A simple Google search of Earth Day 2024 will yield many opportunities to learn more about the environment and hear from experts on what we can do to ensure a more sustainable future for our planet.

How Can Harmony Help?

Harmony Enterprises is the solutions provider for waste handling and recycling. We are here to do more than just sell equipment. We provide world-class customer service, repairs, and parts.

Our wide range of long lasting solutions helps businesses reduce waste and recycle valuable commodities like plastic.

We are here to do more than just sell equipment.  We are your go-to resource for all things waste and recycling. We can provide you with free quotes, site reviews, case studies, and customer referrals that demonstrate our superior industry leadership and capability.  Our experienced sales team can work with you to make sure that you understand and implement the right solution for your business needs.

While you, your community, and business celebrate Earth Day 2024, think about how Harmony can help you achieve your sustainability and efficiency goals.

Give us a call at (507) 886-6666 or Contact Us today!