Today, June 5th, is World Environment Day. It’s celebrated every year on this date, and its purpose is to encourage awareness of - and, most importantly, action on - protecting the environment.
This year marks World Environment Day’s 50th anniversary. It’s part of the UN’s Environment Programme, and this year it’s being hosted by Côte d’Ivoire. And for 2023, its 50th year, World Environment Day has chosen an important theme: Beat Plastic Pollution.
About Plastic Pollution
The UNEP (United Nations Environment Programme) report on plastics states that 400 million tonnes of plastic is produced each year - and of this, around half is intended to be single use. Less than 10% of this single use plastic is recycled, and the UNEP estimates that between 19-23 million tonnes of it ends up in the world’s oceans, rivers and lakes. And of course there’s also the additional problem of microplastics, which find their way into our food and water systems.
This year’s World Environment Day aims to showcase what’s already being done to tackle this huge issue, and how nations, companies, and individuals are finding ways to use plastic more sustainably - and put pressure on governments and corporations to speed up their efforts to combat plastic pollution.
Here at Natusan, we’re already taking steps to reduce plastics: our Natusan packaging is all made from recyclable paper, our Beco Litter Tray uses 30% plant-based materials, and our Eco-Friendly Cat Beds are made from 100% recycled materials - including ocean-bound plastics.
The History of World Environment Day
World Environment Day is held annually on the 5th of June, and brings together millions of people from around the world to inspire positive change and encourage action for a more sustainable world.
While this year’s event is the 50th anniversary of World Environment Day, the seeds for this idea were sown a year earlier, in 1972. Last year’s event was hosted by Sweden and marked the 50th anniversary of what’s considered to be the very first environmental summit: the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment.
This groundbreaking conference took place in Stockholm in 1972, under the campaign slogan “Only One Earth”, and it was here that June 5th was designated World Environment Day, and also where the UN Environmental Programme was founded. To celebrate this milestone, last year’s event shared the same theme: Only One Earth. Themes for previous years have included Beat Air Pollution, Time For Nature, and Consume With Care.
Getting Involved
The World Environment Day website is packed with resources, including practical guides full of solutions and suggestions for how we as individuals can get involved and make a difference. From getting involved with local clean-up groups to opting for the least packaged options when doing your weekly shop, there are all sorts of steps that we can take.
And there are steps, too, for community organisations, companies, schools, and local authorities, which you yourself might be a part of - as well as bigger steps for governments and corporations.
You can find out more on the World Environment Day website.
05/06/2023 by NatuTeam