Earth Day 2018 To Focus On Plastics

As Earth Day is approaching its 50th anniversary in 2020, Earth Day 2018 will focus on changing attitudes and behaviors about plastics and reducing plastic pollution.

Earth Day — April 22 — honors the birth of the modern environmental movement in 1970. Earth Day 1970 symbolized the growing environmental movement, which channeled the energy of the anti-war protest movement and putting environmental concerns on the front page, according to the official Earth Day website.

The 2018 efforts to end plastic pollution will include:

• Inform and activate citizens to take personal responsibility for the plastic pollution that they generate by choosing to reject, reduce, reuse and recycle plastics.

• Work with other organizations and networks to make Earth Day 2018 a platform to End Plastic Pollution by developing resources that others can use and build partnerships.

For cleaning managers, Earth Day can be a time to promote awareness of green activities and products. Some examples of products and policies to focus on can include:

• Demonstrating chemical dispensers or premeasured packets and explain the benefits of using these, compared to “glugging” concentrates into the bucket. In addition to using products more efficiently, these strategies reduce environmental impacts and save money, each of which can be addressed. For instance, concentrated laundry detergents can create less waste product and save money.

• Products with post-consumer recycled content and environmental benefits. For instance, many manufacturers of paper products can provide information about the specific environmental benefits, such as the reduction in water and waste from the manufacturing process.

•  Facility managers can also showcase plastic can liners made with a high post-consumer recycled content.