Celebrate Earth Day Both Annually and Daily

​Celebrating Earth Day is exciting! Renewal is in the air, it's early Spring in Seattle, and the daffodils are making way for the tulips. 

​​Do you know how Earth Day came to be?

48 years ago, on April 22, 1970, millions of people took to the streets to protest the negative impacts of the then 150 years of industrial development.
 
The global ecological awareness was growing, and the US Congress and President Nixon responded quickly. In July of the same year, they created the Environmental Protection Agency, and robust environmental laws such as the Clean Water Act and the Endangered Species Act, among others.
 
Earth Day is now a global event each year, and more than 1 billion people in 192 countries take part in what is the most extensive, civic-focused day-of-action in the world!

Here is what the team at Pathway Design & Construction did for Earth Day 2018!
​

Paul and his daughter Berkley cleaning up roadside by their house on earth day! 'Lots of garbage found!’

*** The United States is the #1 trash-producing country in the world at 1,609 pounds per person, per year. Meaning, 5% of the world's people generate 40% of the world's waste. - timetorecycle.org

Mike carrying his cup
instead of using disposable plastic cups!

***because ‘If you buy just one cup of coffee or tea in a disposable cup every day, you’ll end up creating about 23 lbs of waste in one year’ -Carryyourcup.org

Jane washed about three dozn dirty bottles and aluminum cans found in her yard during a recent cutback of overgrown vegetation. Now they can be recycled instead of being thrown away!

*** "Recycling one aluminum can save enough energy to run
a TV for three hours – or the equivalent of a half a gallon of gasoline" - timetorecycle.org

​Steven was standing next to the mason bee block at his house (on he left). Last year he spent some time with the goats in New Mexico, enjoying the earth on earth day (on the right)!  

*** The reduction of the bee population has reached a level where there just aren't enough pollinators to support a healthy production of fruits and vegetables.-  thenewstribune.com

By using honeybees as pollinators, crop yields can increase by as much as 300%.- beemaid.com 
For local beekeepers and events and  supplies and information click here. thenewstribune.com

Jeremiah and his son, Jaxson shopping for some new trees and plant life, to plant on earth day!
 
***Every week about 20 species of plants and animals become extinct! - timetorecycle.org
​

Lars composting (clam shells)
 
***70 % of the world's waste can be composted! - greenenergyanddevelopment.com

Olga composting on earth day and every day!
 
*** Each year the average American throws away approximately 1,200 lbs of organic waste. - greenenergyanddevelopment.com

Mark was composting his hill at his house on earth day! Also, recycling/donating items that he no longer needs.

****On average, it costs $30 per ton to recycle trash, $50 to send it to the landfill, and $65 to $75 to incinerate it. -  timetorecycle.org

Alex was hiking on earth day to help reduce his carbon footprint!
 
**** Although Americans strive to live sustainably, the US carbon footprint is still far ahead with 16.5 tons per person, per year. That is more than the EU’s per capita footprint of 6.8 tons per year. – terraspass.com

Sources:
 
https://www.earthday.org/earthday/
https://www.timetorecycle.org/pdf/EDUCATION/Recycling%20Fun%20Facts.pdf
http://www.greenenergyanddevelopment.com/composting-facts/
https://www.terrapass.com/consume-care-environmental-facts-myths-consumption
https://backyardhive.com/blogs/is-beekeeping-for-me/the-benefits-of-beekeeping
http://www.beemaid.com/bees-and-the-environment
http://www.thenewstribune.com/living/home-garden/article139983633.html