Earth Day
Recycle, Reuse, and Reduce
Recycling Facts
- One aluminum can has enough energy to power a TV for 3 hours.
- One glass bottle or jar has enough energy to power a 100- watt bulb for 4 hours.
- Recycling one ton of plastic saves 1,000-2,000 gallons of gasoline.
- About 22% of glass produced is recycled in the U.S.
- While a Styrofoam cup takes 400-500 years to decompose it takes 6 months for orange peel to decompose.
- Many people recycle aluminum cans and make amazing sculpture
- Earth Day is a global celebration.
- Only 14% of clothing is recycled.
- An average person uses about 12 thousand gallons of water per year.
Earth Day History
The first Earth Day was in 1970. Gaylord Nelson was inspired after a very large oil spill in Santa Barbara, California. He wanted to raise awareness for the environment. With a staff of 85 they rallied together 20 million on April 22, 1970. President Bill Clinton awarded Nelson with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, this is the highest honor given to civilians in the U.S. April 22, 2015 is the 45th anniversary of Earth Day.
Ways to Reuse, Reduce, and Recycle
- You can reuse plastic bags.
- You are suppose to turn of the lights, when you leave the room.
- You can reuse plastic water bottles.
- You can use less water when brushing your teeth, and taking a shower.
- You can walk or bike to work or school if it is not far away.
- You can bring a reusable water bottle to work or school or sports.
- You can try to keep your electronic devices as long as you can.