What is Earth Day? 

 

Every April 22nd, Earth Day brings together millions of people worldwide to celebrate our planet’s awe-inspiring natural wonders and advocate for its future. What started in 1970 as a US environmental awareness movement, has blossomed into a global movement, with over 190 countries and 1 billion people participating. Through diverse events and initiatives, Earth Day spotlights our collective duty to address pressing ecological threats like climate change, pollution, and deforestation. It also promotes sustainable practices to ensure an equitable, livable world. Earth Day has evolved into a powerful platform for environmental activism across the globe.

 

2024 Earth Day Theme 

 

“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.” -Kathleen Rogers, President (Earth Day). 

 

This year’s Planet vs. Plastics initiative unites communities in a collective effort to reduce plastic production by 60% by 2040, working toward a plastic-free future. Earth Day’s goal with this year’s theme is to:

 

Promote widespread awareness of the damage caused by plastic pollution to humans, wildlife, and ecosystems. Further research is needed on the full impact of plastics.

 

Phase out single-use plastics by 2030, working toward the 60% reduction goal by 2040 as a commitment to the UK treaty.

 

Advocate for policies ending fast fashion and its significant plastic waste and pollution that harms our waters and planet.

 

Invest in innovative technologies and materials to build a plastic-free world, as innovation is key to our future commitment to environmental care.

 

Ways to Save Water this Earth Day with Flume 

 

Though Earth Day 2024 will highlight plastics pollution, April 22nd’s overarching purpose is to raise environmental awareness and promote sustainability through various conservation methods.

Flume is leading the charge in 2024 to keep innovating ways to conserve water and support the Earth Day movement of raising environmental awareness. This year, we’re highlighting 4 ways you can reduce your water usage:

 

  1. Fix leaks. Leaks are a major source of wasted water. A simple flapper leak can waste 33 gallons per hour. Flume detects leaks as small as 0.01 gallons per minute. Use Flume to catch leaks early and save water.

 

  1. Don’t overwater your lawn or irrigate during peak season. Install sensors or timers on irrigation systems. It’s important to pay attention to weather patterns and only irrigate when truly needed. The grass will tell you when it’s thirsty. Installing a sensor or timer on your irrigation system is an excellent way to prevent unnecessary watering. These systems will detect rain or moisture and automatically shut off the system, conserving water!  

 

  1. Install low-flow showerheads and faucet aerators. Low-flow showerheads restrict water flow to around 2.5 gallons per minute, compared to traditional shower heads which can use 5 gallons per minute or more. Low-flow aerators can be installed on bathroom and kitchen faucets, similarly restricting flow. With these simple upgrades, the average family can conserve hundreds of gallons of water per week without sacrificing comfort or convenience.

 

  1. Share water conservation tips and efficiency strategies with your community. Spreading knowledge is key to sustainability. Take time to learn about water conservation and teach others how to reduce usage. Small daily actions by many people add up to big savings over time. Spreading awareness is a powerful way to create change. By taking the initiative to learn and inform others, you help ensure clean, sufficient water will be there for the future. We all have a role to play!

 

Join Flume in spreading environmental awareness including the impact of plastics and water usage on April 22nd, Earth Day! 

 

Sources: 

https://www.earthday.org/earth-day-2024/ 

American Rivers Organization