Kudos to all who turned out Saturday to help the Chamber of Commerce in its annual clean up of the Cayman Islands.
And kudos to all who took it upon themselves to use Saturday as a day to clean up roadways, beaches, yards and lots.
Tomorrow is the day set aside to mark Earth Day here and throughout the world.
When the concept of an Earth Day was first put forward in the 1970s it was met with robust enthusiasm in most places.
As the years moved on, it became a routine, once-a-year observation, sort of like people going to church only on Easter.
But the droves of people that turned out this past weekend to clean up and take part in the National Trust’s trail hike and mangrove tour show that people are indeed paying more attention to the Earth and the environment.
There seems to be a greater realisation that what we do as humans does in fact interconnect with Earth.
When we toss that gum wrapper out of the car window we are littering and that litter can interfere with our fragile ecosystem.
Smokers who toss their butts onto sidewalks are making litter that’s going to be around for two to five years.
Plastic six-pack rings that keep sodas and beer cans together not only last up to 450 years in the environment, but they are also a health hazard to marine life when they find their way into oceans, lakes and ponds.
Thinking about tossing that plastic jug that contained your milk up until that last glass full? Please, think again and recycle. A plastic jug will last one million years in the environment.
As for Styrofoam and glass, nobody knows how long they will last in the environment once we’ve used the contents and thrown away the container.
As we begin to recycle we need to think globally. Recycling doesn’t only keep things out of our landfill and protect our water and land, it also means fewer diesel trucks on the roads of the countries where those goods are made and distributed. Fewer diesel trucks mean less air pollution.
Companies and schools that go green by boosting energy efficiency save money as well as the environment.
There are other things we can do to ensure a greener earth.
Drink tap water or water from water companies that recycle their bottles. Buy vegetables from local farmers. Be cognizant of the packaging when you buy goods from retailers.
Use silverware instead of plastic cutlery when eating. When taking your lunch to school or work use reusable plastic containers or lunch bags
Above all, recycle, recycle, recycle.
Tomorrow is Earth Day. Help renew the environment by planting a tree.
We must all become better stewards of the planet and its dwindling resources.
Plastic six-pack rings that keep sodas and beer cans together not only last up to 450 years in the environment, but they are also a health hazard to marine life when they find their way into oceans, lakes and ponds.
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