Friday is Earth Day, an international movement that raises awareness about the many ways we can take care of our planet.
The theme of the 52nd Earth Day will be Invest in Our Planet.
Kiwis are trying to make a change in their behavior to avoid the dangers of climate change and its disastrous consequences.
123RF/Supplied
April 22nd is Earth Day. Here are some things you can do to help care for our planet.
Here are some ways you can help the Earth this Earth Day.
READ MORE
* Sustainable travel: How to leave a lighter footprint in 2022
* Business has to take responsibility to regenerate our planet
* 10 simple things you can do to help protect the environment
Shop until you drop
An international report in 2019 exposed 20 fossil fuel companies whose actions directly contributed to more than one third of all greenhouse gas emissions.
These companies include household brands such as Chevron and Exxon.
If money is your language, choose a company that promotes sustainability.
Unsplash/Supplied
Try to make sustainable purchases if you’re going to buy something new. (File photo)
TEVA, a shoe company that diverted 40,000,000 plastic bottles from the landfills and made them more useful by strapping sandals on their customers’ feet, is an example.
Other brands of clothing owned by Kiwis who are committed to sustainability include Maggie MarilynBaby brand Dimples, ReCreate, RubyAnd Untouched World.
Lisa McNeill, Otago University associate professor and expert on sustainable fashion, discourages Kiwis buying new.
McNeill suggested that Kiwis could adopt the simple step of looking at second-hand items before purchasing new.
This doesn’t mean that people can’t buy new. Just take the time to look at what is available second-hand.
This doesn’t mean that you have to settle for cheap clothes. There are many beautiful second-hand stores in Auckland that sell high-quality clothes with lots of life left.
For the day, leave your car at work
According to the United NationsTransport is the fastest-growing source for fossil-fuel CO2 emissions. This is also the largest contributor to climate changes.
Phil Doyle/Stuff
It’s easy to leave the car at home during the day. There are half-price fares for public transport up until June.
Car-free Day is not a new concept. Most countries encourage motorists around September 22 to get rid of their cars.
Paris’ 2015 first car-free event reduced exhaust emissions by 40 percent.
Friday is a great day to use public transport as half-price on most train, bus, and ferry routes through June.
Explore the Earth sustainably
Now that New Zealands borders are slowly starting to creep open, this Earth Day could be the time to book a well-deserved environmentally-friendly holiday.
Douglas Bagg/UNSPLASH
Now that we have the opportunity to explore our planet again, it is time to make Earth-friendly decisions. (File photo)
Booking.com is an international travel site. Sustainable Travel Report for New ZealandApril 14, 2009. It was found that almost three quarters (63%) wanted to travel more sustainably during the next twelve months.
Booking.comIt allows Kiwis who are interested in making eco-friendly travel choices to easily identify properties that have received a Travel Sustainable badge.
Plant a tree or clean up your neighborhood
It could be as simple to go for a walk in your local park and pull out random weeds. Just make sure they aren’t in someone’s garden.
Peter Meecham/Stuff
Lesley Woudberg is a volunteer for Banks Peninsula Conservation Trust. She weeds around the totara seedling.
You could participate in a Tree-planting EventThe, such as the Greening the City WorkshopThe event was held at Auckland’s Britomart. Participation is free and everyone who participates gets a tree that they can take home to plant.
If you don’t live near a park or are unable to plant a tree yourself, you could donate the cost of the tree (or 10). Trees That Count is a project..
Your donation will be matched with a planting project, You will be informed where your tree is located.