Back to News and Resources

Earth Day 2018: Let’s Work with Residents to Reduce Plastic Waste

Thursday March 29, 2018 8:00am

Started in 1970, Earth Day is now the world’s largest annual environmental movement with more than 1 billion people in 190 countries participating. This event helps bring attention and build appreciation for Earth’s natural environment.

Earth Day Theme: Plastic Pollution

This year’s theme for Earth Day is “End Plastic Pollution”. As consumers, we use plastic every day. It’s become a pervasive part of our lives and a significant environmental issue. Plastic bags have taken over our beaches, cluttered our oceans, and become a burden on our waste streams and landfills.

It’s estimated that 6.9 billion U.S. tons of plastic waste has been generated to date. Close to 80% of this waste has ended up in landfills and pollutes our environment. Only 9% of all plastics are recycled.

Blue Illustrated Leave the Office Early Day Social Media Graphic.jpg
Sometimes marine animals consume or get caught in plastic waste traps. In our oceans, plastic tends to break down into smaller pieces and the toxins are absorbed by fish. The main reason why we’re producing more plastic is because of an increased demand for packaging.

Are you interested in taking action this Earth Day in your community? We’ve put together several helpful resources that you can share with your residents to spread awareness about plastic pollution.

Engage Residents on Social Media During Earth Month

The countdown to Earth Day on Sunday, April 22 is a great way to build excitement about this global event. We’ve provided some sample social media posts that you can share with your residents on Facebook and Twitter. Here you go:

  • Are you celebrating #EarthDay this year? Tell us how you’ll be helping the environment. #RecycleCoach #EndPlasticPollution
  • Did you know that almost 80% of plastic waste ends up in landfills and harms the environment? Help reduce pollution this #EarthDay by finding out how to #recycle your plastic bags with #RecycleCoach.
  • It’s estimated that there will be more plastic than fish in the world’s oceans by 2050. Take action for #EarthDay2018! Find out how to recycle your plastic with #RecycleCoach.

Use Email and E-Newsletters to Reach Out to Residents

Do you have a monthly email or e-newsletter that goes out to residents in your community? You can share helpful information with them about upcoming events and actions they can take to become better recyclers. Here are a few sample pieces that you can include in your upcoming emails:

What Do You Do With Plastic Products?
Plastic was invented in 1907. Since that time, plastic products can be found in every part of our lives as consumers. But, we must take the time to think about the environment. This Earth Day, take a few moments to consider how to dispose of plastic products by visiting the Recycle Coach website.

Can You Recycle Plastic?
In celebration of Earth Day on April 22nd, we thought we would share this helpful article with you about how to recycle plastic bags. Plus, you can search for how to correctly dispose of plastic products in your area here.