“The heavens declare the glory of God;
the skies proclaim the work of his hands.”
– Psalm 19:1
What’s Happening: On Sunday, April 22nd more than one billion people around the globe will participate in Earth Day 2012. Did you know the centerpiece of Earth Day in the United States will be a rally on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. Tens of thousands of environmentally-conscious people from all walks of life and all parts of the country will be joined by civic leaders and celebrities for this special event to galvanize the environmental movement.
Check with your city or neighborhood organization to see what events they have planned for Earth Day. Take Action!
Why Should we Care: Psalm 24:1 tells us “The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it.” That means since God created the world, we are only temporary stewards, and should be committed caretakers of its resources.
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Sea turtle photo from www.blogs.westword.com |
• Plastic needs about 450 years just to start decomposing. Then, it takes another 50-80 years to decompose completely.
• Approximately 150,000 tons of plastic garbage goes into the ocean every year, causing the death of many sea animals which mistake the garbage for food. The plastic clogs their digestive systems and infuses their systems with chemicals.
• 24 million gallons of oil are needed for the production of a billion plastic bottles.
• The average American consumed 1.6 gallons of bottled water in 1976. In 2006, that number jumped to 28.3 gallons.
• Recycling a single plastic bottle can conserve enough energy to light a 60W bulb for up to 6 hours.
• Over 13 billion plastic bags are produced every year, which averages about 300 per adult.
• There are many countries which have banned or restricted the use of plastic bags. Australia, China, Austria, Bangladesh, Ireland and several European Union countries are among them.
Suggestions for making everyday Earth Day:
• Use a reusable water bottle
• Turn off lights when you leave a room
• Use reusable lunch boxes for your children’s lunches
• Plant a tree or a garden
• Bring your own reusable shopping bags to the grocery store
• Convert your household light bulbs to LED
• Use rechargeable batteries
• Walk or bike more, drive less
• Use a water-saving shower head
Sullie Saves the Seas by Goffinet McLaren (South Carolina author). This beautifully written book is a must read for children and adults concerned for planet Earth.
Know Green, Go Green is a national campaign that promotes environmental education through providing resources for teachers to use to educate and mobilize their students.
Reading for the Earth is a national platform that libraries can use to promote environmental literacy and to inspire youth to read more books
It’s Friday, Let’s Sparkle … Action Required … Choose to make a difference, join the Billion Acts of Green. Today you can become part of the solution and help protect our planet by making a commitment to take action. Decide how you want to make a difference and pledge an act of green at http://www.earthday.org/2012. The goal is to have one billion acts of green this Earth Day!
Get your families, friends, neighbors, churches, and schools involved … we all can make a pledge to be good stewards of this beautiful earth that God has entrusted to us.
I took the Pledge… I am helping reduce the danger of plastic water bottles by using a non-toxic, reusable water bottle. No one can do it all, but if we each do something – together we can make a difference!
Have a blessed weekend and don’t forget to …
Recycle – Reuse – Repurpose + Raise Awareness about Earth Day
God’s Peace, Donna Weaver
