World Environment Day

Creating environmental awareness and change

Want to do your bit for the environment and encourage your friends, family, and community to do the same? World Environment Day is celebrated every year to inspire people to get involved.

• Environment
• Environmental Events
• Environment Issues

Have you done something for the environment today? Are you interested in taking the next step in day to day sustainability practices?

Environmental awareness is increasing, with people from all across New Zealand and the globe, and from all walks of life, recognising we each have a small part to play in the survival of our planet.

Whether you’re a seasoned greenie or you want to start making life changes to contribute to a more sustainable earth, World Environment Day is the one day people from all over the world band together, create awareness, and consider environmental issues and their solutions.

About World Environment Day
World Environment Day was established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1972, marking the opening of the Stockholm Conference on the Human Environment.

Commemorated every year on June 5, World Environment Day is the primary vehicle stimulating environmental awareness on a global scale. Observed and celebrated in more than 100 countries, it is one of the most popular days on the UN calendar, with the ultimate aim to inspire a recognition that only changes in the attitude of individuals and communities can lead to real and ongoing environmental improvements.

World Environment Day events are also designed to give a human face to environmental issues, promote an understanding that communities play a crucial role in changing attitudes towards environmental issues, and empower people to make changes in their own lives.

Each year World Environment Day is hosted by a selected country, and in 2008 World Environment Day was hosted by New Zealand in partnership with the United Nations Environment Programme. Government agency the Ministry for the Environment took the lead in coordinating the event alongside UNEP, and Wellington played host city.

World Environment Day in New Zealand
World Environment Day was celebrated actively throughout New Zealand for an entire week, with a wide range of events taking place including plantings, symposiums, debates, carless days, art exhibitions and walking school buses.

Though World Environment Day may only officially run for a day or even a week, it is hoped that the awareness raised and the issues brought to light during that time each year will have a lasting effect on participants. The ultimate goal is to inspire people, communities, governments, businesses, schools, and other groups to continue adopting sustainable practices throughout the rest of the year.

If you’re thinking about planning an event or raising awareness in your community, neighbourhood, school or workplace for the next annual World Environment Day on July 5, here are some great ideas about how you and your friends and family can get involved daily.

Daily tips to help you save the planet

• Keep up to date on environment news online to stay informed while reducing your carbon footprint
• It may go without saying, but always remember to save water by not letting the tap run while shaving, washing your face, or brushing your teeth.

• Insulate your hot water cylinder and consider installing low flow showerheads to save energy, and some cash on your power bill

• Use an electric razor or hand razor with replaceable blades instead of disposable razors to cut back on waste.

• After your shower, hang your towels up to dry so that they can be reused several times. After all – you are clean when you use them.

• When packing your lunch, think of the environment and always use reusable containers for food storage instead of wrapping food in plastic wrap or tin foil.

• Unplug your mobile phone charger when you’re not using it because it will chew through power either way.

• Switch lights and appliances off when not in use.

• Don’t go anywhere without a reusable or cloth shopping bag so you can say no to plastic whenever you shop. Keep one handy at all times, because you never know when you might use it.

• The easiest way to reduce your carbon footprint is to use your car as little as possible – or not at all. Try biking, walking, carpooling, or grabbing a bus as often as you can.

• Buy a reusable bottle for water and take it with you wherever you go. You don’t need to buy bottled water when you can have clean, New Zealand natural water straight from the tap. Eighty percent of plastic bottles are recyclable but only 20 percent are actually recycled.

• If there isn’t already a recycling system in your home, classroom or office, start one yourself. Recycling contributes to reducing the major environmental issues relating to global warming emissions, and it is estimated that 75 percent of what is thrown in the rubbish could actually be recycled.

• If you’re looking for something to brighten up your home or workspace, look no further than a humble houseplant. Houseplants are good for the environment because they remove quantities of pollutants present in the air.

• When you wash, use only eco-friendly products in your home. It’s best for you and the environment.

And finally...
Plant a tree! The UN Billion Tree Campaign is closely linked to World Environment Day, and is a global initiative to reduce carbon. Plant trees at home and contact your local government or council about having more trees planted in your neighbourhood and community spaces.

To contribute to the Billion Tree Campaign, why not organise a tree planting day in your community for the next World Environment Day? You could even contact local gardening centres and see if they can help by sponsoring the event or donating seedlings.

Keep an eye on environment news and sustainability projects online for more ideas.

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Lifestyle images from Flickr: treeplanting, Yoga and Wine.