Earth Week is a global event celebrated annually from April 16th to the 22nd to help raise awareness about environmental issues and promote actions that would protect our planet.
During Earth Week, various events and activities take place, such as community cleanups, tree planting, educational campaigns and sustainable living initiatives. Organizations, schools and individuals can participate by organizing events, activities and programs to promote environmental awareness and encourage people to take action. Activities in the past have included environmental film festivals, eco-friendly art shows and environmentally-themed concerts, along with speakers, recycling drives and fairs showcasing sustainable products and services.
Earth Week was first observed in the United States in 1970 as a response to growing concerns about environmental issues such as pollution, loss of wilderness and wildlife extinction. It was proposed by Senator Gaylord Nelson from Wisconsin who wanted to create a national teach-in on the environment. An estimated 20 million people participated in the rallies, marches and demonstrations that took place in cities across the US.
Today, Earth Week is a worldwide event offering an opportunity for individuals, communities and organizations to come together to learn about environmental issues take action to protect our planet, and advocate for policies that promote sustainability and environmental stewardship.
Earth Week and Earth Day are not the same, but are related. Earth Day is specifically celebrated annually on April 22nd. Earth Week, on the other hand, is a week-long event that takes place leading up to Earth Day.
How Can I Commemorate Earth Week?
There are a number of ways you, or your business or organization, can promote Earth Week and environmental awareness:
- Organize a community cleanup to clear the local parks, beaches and streets of litter and debris.
- Create a neighborhood recycling event where items homeowners no longer use or want can be picked up by a junk removal company like 123JUNK and either delivered to local charity partners or taken to area recycling centers.
- Promote sustainable practices at work or home, like recycling, reducing waste and conserving resources like energy and water.
- Support environmental organizations through donations or volunteer time.
- Host an educational event, film screening or interactive workshop to raise awareness or teach skills about sustainable practices and environmental awareness.
- Partner with organizations to create a larger impact.
Related blog post: Earth Day
What Can I Do Personally to Help Keep Items out of Landfills?
You can help reduce environmental pollution and conserve resources by:
- Reducing waste you generate. Choose products with minimal packaging, buy in bulk and avoid single-use items.
- Reusing items. Before you throw things away, consider whether they can be reused. Reuse containers for storage, old clothing for cleaning rags or scrap paper for crafts or notes.
- Recycling. Learn what can and cannot be recycled in your area and properly sort them.
- Composting. Instead of throwing away food scraps and yard waste, compost them instead to create a nutrient-rich soil amendment that you can use to fertilize your garden and lawn.
- Donating or selling items. If items are in good condition, donate them to charity (123JUNK will pick them up!) or sell them online.
123JUNK Helps Your Earth Week Initiatives Locally
Keeping items out of landfill is our number one priority at 123JUNK and we are glad to help you, your company or your organization with your Earth Week initiatives. With our 1-2-3 Process of Donate-Recycle-Dispose we’ll pick up or look for items that can be donated to our charity partners. We’ll pull out items that cannot be repurposed but do contain recyclable materials and take them directly to the appropriate recycling centers. As a final resort, we’ll take what’s left over to the landfill.
123JUNK is a locally-founded and operated, environmentally-friendly junk removal company. As such, we care greatly about the communities in which we, ourselves live. Contact 123JUNK today and let us help you with your Earth Week junk removal and recycling event.
