Earth Day is celebrated across the globe on the 22nd of April each year. On this day more than a billion people get involved to plant trees, raise awareness or volunteer for green projects.

The theme for Earth Day 2022 is ‘Invest In Our Planet’. It aims to bring people together to take urgent action to invest in a better future for the planet.

What Is Earth Day?

Earth Day was founded by Gaylord Nelson in 1970 and is regarded as the beginning of the modern environmental movement. Nelson was a US Senator from Wisconsin. He decided to take action after witnessing the horrific aftermath of an oil spill in Santa Barbara, California. Nelson was inspired by the student anti war movement. He thought if he could combine that energy with growing public concern for the environment, the movement could influence national political agenda. The first Earth Day celebration involved 20 million Americans. Shortly afterwards the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act and Endangered Species Act were passed. Many other environmental laws followed and these were seen as groundbreaking for their time.

Credit: Earthday.org

What’s Different About Earth Day 2022?

This year’s theme for Earth Day is ‘Invest In Our Planet’. It calls on governments, businesses and individuals to invest in a better future for the planet where we reduce our reliance on fossil fuels and secure a livable future for all life on Earth.

The Latest Report released by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) was clear that investment is needed if we are to stay below an average temperature rise of 1.5 degrees centigrade. 3 to 6 times more investment is needed to meet this ambitious, yet vital target.

The report urges politicians and world leaders to take action immediately to end our use of fossil fuels. This is vital if we are to reach net zero by 2050 and prevent the worst consequences of climate change. Governments must pass regulations that promote a green economy and invest in innovation. A green and prosperous future is possible where we can restore nature and build a healthy planet for future generations. But we must act now. Keep reading to find out how you can help make a difference.

How To Get Involved As An Individual

For the first time, the latest IPCC report has included information on how individuals can help to mitigate climate change. Individual action has the potential to reduce global emissions by around 5%. As an individual you can help by investing your time, your political vote and your money into going green. Check out these easy Earth Day Tips to help invest in our planet:

• Walk or cycle to work or take public transport.
• Replace meat and dairy with plant based alternatives at least once a week.
• Fly less.
• Carry a reusable water bottle.
• Refuse single use plastic wherever possible.
• Use your own reusable coffee cup.
• Take a reusable shopping bag to the shops.
• Plant a tree. You can plant trees with Ecologi for the price of a coffee and cake each week.
• Buy local produce or grow your own.

Credit: Raleigh.co.uk

Check out this handy Toolkit for ways to get involved on the 22^nd. Find out about a range of global treaties that support issues such as deforestation, changes to the fashion industry or a global plastics treaty. Use the map to find out what’s happening near you from beach clean ups to tree planting.

How To Help The Planet As A Business

At Reuseabox we believe that every day should be Earth Day. It’s vital we continue to take action throughout the year to help protect our planet. Small and medium size businesses can have a huge impact by taking small actions. Take a look at these planet saving tips for businesses:

• Switch to LED lights.
• Turn down the thermostat.
• Change to a renewable energy supplier or consider investing in your own renewable energy sources.
• Introduce a policy to reduce waste and reuse or recycle as much waste as possible. Reuseabox can collect your ‘waste’ cardboard for free and ensure it gets reused.
• Reduce packaging as much as possible.
• Use recyclable packaging where packaging is necessary.

For businesses who want to go one step further, why not sign up to SME Climate Hub. This organisation is calling on small to medium sized businesses to set a target to half their carbon emissions by 2030 and reach net zero by 2050. Businesses that join are encouraged to report on progress made yearly to ensure it remains a high priority. Or join The Better Business Act and call on the government to make it compulsory for businesses to consider people and planet as well as profits.

Summary

The theme for this year’s Earth Day is ‘Invest In Our Planet’. The latest IPCC report has provided a stark warning that we need to act now to prevent the worst effects of climate change. It’s important to remember that Earth Day shouldn’t be something we think about one day a year. It must be a mindset that we can apply to all aspects of our lives. From switching to LED lights or cycling to work, there are so many ways to make a difference. Find out more about events happening near you and start Investing In Our Planet today.