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“Building a sustainable society is the critical challenge of this century. Everything depends on it.” — Senator Nelson, Founder
The idea for a national day to focus on the environment came to Earth Day founder Gaylord Nelson, a U.S. Senator from Wisconsin, after witnessing the ravages of the 1969 massive oil spill in Santa Barbara, California. Inspired by the student anti-war movement, he realized that if he could infuse that energy with an emerging public consciousness about air and water pollution, it would force environmental protection onto the national political agenda. Over 20 million Americans demonstrated for a healthy, sustainable environment in massive coast-to-coast rallies.
The event was so successful, that in December 1970 Congress authorized the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency and the passage of the Clean Air, Clean Water and Endangered Species Acts. As a result, Americans began honoring Earth Day on the 22nd of April every year. In 1990, Earth Day went global in 141 countries and the event continues to spread internationally, providing a powerful focal point from which people can demonstrate their commitment to being good stewards of the environment. This year, more than 1 billion people in 192 countries worldwide will commemorate “Earth Day.”
Earth Day goals: More than just spreading awareness!
The aim for a clean environment continues with even more urgency, as the possibility of climate change becomes more apparent every day. Scientists worldwide have amassed evidence suggesting that the need to take action now is more important than ever. As we have seen in recent and past news, larger and more frequent natural catastrophes such as floods, storms and other natural catastrophes are occurring, costing millions of lives and destroying the livelihood of even more.
If we do not rethink our consumer behavior, we could steer our communities into an ecological crisis. We do not have to give up our lifestyles in order to affect a change; we only need to make smarter decisions. Small changes in our lifestyle can make a big difference. And everyone can do them without experiencing a significant cut to their day to day business.
There is a popular movement toward “sustainable consumerism” occurring in Europe and the U.S., which promotes purchasing goods that are produced with the minimum amount of resource consumed in the production of those goods. A large supermarket provides goods that are grown thousands of miles away, sometimes in a location that requires extensive irrigation.
Why not change the demand signal by going to a local farmer’s market? Farmer’s markets require minimal resources in order to produce goods that provide as much, if not more, benefit to the consumer — you. Did you know that many nearby cities, including Kaiserslautern, hold regular farmer’s markets?
And there are even more possibilities to easily change the negative impact by doing simple things such as changing your conventional light bulbs to energy-saving bulbs, such as light emitting diode or compact fluorescent lamp bulbs. These bulbs are more efficient and use 80 percent less energy while lasting up to 10 times longer. Imagine, just replacing 10 bulbs could pay for themselves within one year, saving you about $25 annually, and reducing 14 kg of carbon emissions from being produced by electrical companies each year.
Additionally, turning off electronics, or even unplugging them, instead of keeping them on standby, will save both energy and money, as will washing your clothes at a lower temperature to reduce hot water bills. Do you need to use your car for short distances? Walking is healthy and your wallet will be grateful. Finally, did you know that for every degree Celsius less in room temperature, you will consume about 10 percent less energy — again a win/win situation for your wallet and for the environment.
Earth Day 2024 Theme: “Planet vs. plastic”
Each year, Earth Day campaigners call for events with an annual altering theme. In the U.S., the 2024 Earth Day theme is “Planet vs. Plastic.”
Plastics are a serious headache for the planet and more and more governments are proposing measures to reduce their impact on the environment. In fact, in 2021 Europe banned the sale of single-use plastics such as drinking straws, cutlery or cotton buds within its borders. To put the magnitude of the problem into context, let’s review some objective data:
- Every year, 500 billion plastic bottles are produced worldwide. (Source: Greenpeace)
- Plastic in the ocean is already more than 150 million tons of waste. (Source: European Parliament)
- By 2050, oceans could contain more plastics than fish. (Source: The World Economic Forum)
- Each year around eight million tons of plastic ends up in our seas and oceans. (Source: Greenpeace)
While on the subject of single-use plastics, which account for half of the plastic we use each year, they have an average useful life of 12 to 15 minutes and yet can take up to 500 years to disappear, according to Life Out Of Plastic. Plastics outlive us and will outlive our children. The good news is that it is in our hands, as consumers, to turn this situation around. We have the power to make manufacturers change the way they produce by changing the way we consume.
Plastic has become a constant element in our lives. It’s everywhere: product packaging, cosmetic ingredients, textiles, mobile phones, etc. Its omnipresence is such that many would find the mere fact of giving it up a difficult task. Reducing the consumption of plastics therefore requires not only a change in habits, but also a change of mindset.
How can you contribute?
Avoid single-use plastics such as drinking straws
Single-use plastics, such as plates and cutlery made from this material, make our lives easier, but seriously harm the planet. These types of products have viable alternatives and there is an urgent need to choose them.
If you go shopping, remember to take a cloth bag
We go to the supermarket at least once a week to fill up our fridges. If every time we go we use reusable bags (cloth, string or wicker) the health of our planet will improve. From now on remember to take yours when leaving the house.
Buy more bulk food and fewer packaged products
Disposable containers are inundating supermarkets (polystyrene trays, PET bottles, tetra paks, plastic containers, etc.). But there is an alternative: more and more establishments are offering the possibility to buy in bulk.
Replace plastic Tupperware for glass or steel containers
If you eat at work, a Tupperware container is part of your day. We suggest you change your routine and opt for glass or stainless-steel containers. Not only will the planet appreciate it, so will your health because some of these plastic containers can release harmful substances.
Pay attention and put your plastic waste in the correct recycling container
Our lifestyle sometimes prevents us from paying attention to details. Therefore, when it comes to recycling plastic waste, it can end up in the wrong container. Before throwing your waste away, think where each item has to go.
Choose to reuse and give some of the packaging a new purpose
If you have no choice but to buy a plastic bottle or a plastic container at the supermarket, reuse it instead of throwing it away. When cleaned properly, a bottle can be filled up as many times as you like and containers can be used to store other food.
How does the KMC officially celebrate Earth Day 2024?
Beside the tree planting events with elementary school students on Ramstein and tree planting ceremony with 86th AW, 86th CEG Leadership and German Forest Departments, more activities will take place that week from April 22 until 26 on Ramstein. Ramstein Intermediate School students will participate in a guided tour through the base-owned water supply plant, where most of the potable water used at RAB is treated, stored, maintained and controlled. The attendees learn about the technical equipment used to clean and protect this important natural resource! And don’t forget the official opening of Ramstein’s first informative nature trail through the local forest areas.
Please also keep a lookout for daily Earth Day challenges, posted on 86th Civil Engineering Squadron and official Ramstein Air Base Facebook page, for the chance to win some Earth Day swag!
Another great opportunity to demonstrate your environmental stewardship is to recycle during the “clean where you work” and “clean where you live” events. Look out for detail information from you housing office and facility manager.
If you have another event in mind, we are happy to support you putting it into practice, if not for this year’s Earth Day, then definitely for the next!
For more environmental information, please contact the 86th Civil Engineer Squadron Installation Management Flight at 480-5086/7712 or email us at 86ces.cea@us.af.mil. We are a group of professionals, dealing with natural resources, landscape protection, recycling, hazardous waste and material management, air emissions, contaminated soil remediation and other related topics. We are always ready and happy to support you and answer any environmental question or issue you may have.
Happy Earth Day!
