EARTH DAY!!
What Will YOU do today to help the World?
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
One way I help the world is by reducing, reusing, and recycling. I do that by throwing out my water bottles and my paper in the Recycling bin. Also, when you go food shopping, you can reuse your bags that they put the food in. And, you can use paper many times and not waste it like if you made a tiny pen mark on it and you just throw it away without even using it. Just so you know, the average American throws away four pounds of garbage each day. That is 1600 pounds a year! What a waste!
History
But before Earth Day, you might want to know some history about it. Earth day is celebrated on April 22 every year. It was started in 1970 by Senator Gaylord Nelson. In 1962, Nelson decided something needed to be done. He spoke to Attorney General Robert Kennedy who then passed the message onto the President at that time , John F. Kennedy, who agreed with Nelson that something needed to be done. Nelson started going around the country telling people what needed to be done and even though his idea was catching, the politicians still did not agree. In 1969, he announced that he would stage a national grassroots demonstration and more than 20 million people did it and the next year, Earth Day was made.
Interesting Facts
Here are some interesting facts. Almost half the food in the US goes to waste, approximately 3000 lbs per second. The recycling rate has increased from less than 10% in 1980 to 34% in 2011. In 2012, the US produced 32 million tons of plastic, but only 9% was recycled. The energy saved in a plastic bottle can power a computer for 25 seconds. Producing glass from new materials takes 30% more energy than using used glass. Americans use up to 69 million tons of paper and paperboard each year. By recycling 1 ton of paper, we save enough energy to heat a home for six months. Almost 97% of the world's water is salty or otherwise undrinkable. 2% is locked in ice caps and glaciers. Only 1% is usable for agriculture, manufacturing, and personal needs. If you want to see more facts, click this button below!