Earth Day is Apr 22, 2024 and it is often a time to appreciate the outdoors and reflect on its preservation. The theme for this year’s Earth Day is Planet vs. Plastic. The goal with this theme is to increase health awareness, demand change, and encourage innovative solutions.
Earthday.org writes,
“The word environment means what surrounds you. In the case of plastics we have become the product itself – it flows through our blood stream, adheres to our internal organs, and carries with it heavy metals known to cause cancer and disease. Now this once-thought amazing and useful product has become something else, and our health and that of all other living creatures hangs in the balance,” said Kathleen Rogers, President of EARTHDAY.ORG. “
The Planet vs. Plastics campaign is a call to arms, a demand that we act now to end the scourge of plastics and safeguard the health of every living being upon our planet.”
On an individual level, it can feel overwhelming to think about saving the planet.
With a growing population of 341,442,018, is it truly possible?
What does collective collaboration look like?
While global change understandably takes global effort, small changes do add up and contribute to group changes, which lead to cultural shifts. Believe it or not, the thought of having a personal computer was once viewed as cumbersome and a chore. However, when there is a demand or a need, accessibility and adaptability tends to follow suit. The same goes for recycling and sustainable living.
Having the intention to live more sustainably and putting it into practice are two different things. It can be easy to get caught up in the larger picture and not know where to begin. In the spirit of shared governance, Evolve, Crossnore’s staff-based workgroup centered around organizational belonging, decided to ask its staff to share ways they give back Mother Earth.
Here are some tips from Crossnore’s staff for living more sustainably:
- Try secondhand shopping (books, clothes, games, etc)
- Reusable items: bags, water bottles, washcloths, cloth napkins
- Be water conscious: collect rainwater, turn off the water while brushing your teeth
- Composting
- Gardening
- Prioritize organic products
- Consider more plant-based eating
- Use refillable cleaning products (like Branch Basics)
- Green Driving
Knowing our neighbors and colleagues are already putting these tips into practice can feel more encouraging than feeling we are alone in this. If you’re not sure where to start, maybe the person in the office next door has some ideas.
