Earth Day: A Corporate Event

Today is Earth Day, the 24-hour period when people around the planet focus on the health of the Earth’s natural environment. But in 2010, forty years after the first Earth Day, the focus of the event and its ensuing activities have strayed from its original intent.

 

Instead of learn-ins and fully charitable events, Earth Day is now peppered with product placement and advertising from giants like PepsiCo and Disney. Companies that make earth-friendly products look at Earth Day as free advertising. 

 

The goal of Earth Day is to educate and warn, but companies take that angle to promote and expand. They try to promote green products to legitimize their abuse of the day. 

 Unfortunately, advocacy groups representing the environment have recently faced the reality that major change and influence will not occur without major financial backing. Therefore, partnerships between corporations and advocacy groups are necessary.

The goal of Earth Day is to achieve awareness of the environment and to inspire full-scale change through education and promotion of green ideals, but the attention-grabbing products and consumer goods tend to act only as distractions.

These corporations are wasting natural resources to create products designed to promote the conservation of natural resources. Hmm.

Corporations need to focus on the environment, not themselves and how they are affecting it. Instead of promoting the ways they have lowered their own emissions and attempted to stay green, they need to do a better job of relaying information, educating people, and sincerely working towards a healthier environment created by the people and their daily choices.

We don’t need to hear about how corporations have done their part for the environment; we need to know how we can do our part for the environment.

Corporations have used Earth Day to promote themselves and their good behavior, but that doesn’t change a thing.  Earth Day needs to bring its focus back to change, something we as people are not good at achieving when it’s actually necessary.

In honor of Earth Day, here are five of the best ways you can live a “greener” lifestyle to enhance the planet for your children and theirs.

#1: Avoid Pre-washing Dishes

Most people feel the need to wash off their dishes before shoving them into the dishwasher, but studies show that your dishes will get just a clean without. It may seem like a small change, but it can actually save around 20 gallons of water per load! Let the dishwasher do the work!

#2: Take Quick Showers

Studies have shown that a quick shower of about five minutes uses around 10 to 25 gallons of water while filling up the bathtub uses around 70 gallons. This doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy a relaxing bath once in a while, but try to limit the length of your showers and keep in mind that one bath uses the same amount of water as five quick showers.

#4: Recycle Your Electronics

Most people let their old laptops, iPods, and CD Players collect dust in the back of their closet until Spring cleaning comes and they throw them in the trash. Next time, take your electronics to a verified electronics recycling center and let the professionals make sure your old equipment doesn’t harm the Earth.

#3:  Keep a “Greener” Home

There are a lot of changes you can make to your home in order to lower your footprint on the environment. Not only can you have your home inspected and improved to save energy, but you can also elect to power your hose with “Green” power if you are in a designated area. Visit the Green Power Locator at http://www.epa.gov/cleanenergy/energy-and-you/how-clean.html to find if you can start powering your own home with Green power.

#5:  Avoid Driving Once per Week

It has been proven that electing to leave your car at home just once a week can significantly lower emissions over time. If everyone chose public transportation, walked, or biked to work once a week, it could go a long way in improving the earth’s health.

If you have any important tips for staying green, share them here!