An environment born of decency
On 22 April, Earth Day will take place for the 53rd time. What started as a students‘ movement in the USA is now seen as the cradle of all environmental movements and today every year it reaches more than 1 billion participants.
„It is our goal to have an environment with clean air and water but also an environment born of decency, of quality and mutual respect for all humans and creatures.“Inspired by these thoughts from its initiator and founding father, Gaylord Nelsen, Earth Day will be virtually celebrated this year for the second time true to the motto „Restore Our Earth“ (restore our Earth). The goal is to further heighten public awareness with regard to our planet and the environment.
At the end of the 1960’s, Nelson witnessed a massive oil spill in California and announced to the national media, inspired by the strength and energy of students in the anti-war movement, the idea of a new environmental movement on the College Campus. And so he named the 22nd April, a weekday between Spring Break (the spring holiday) and the final exams at the Universities, Earth Day. The goal was to make as many students as possible aware of the day, to get the attention of the media and to encourage masses of people to demonstrate.
In the year 1970 a total of 20 million Americans (at that time ten percent of the overall population) took part in the movement. Primarily organized by Universities, people took to the streets, the parks and the auditoriums, to make people aware of the effects of, at that time, 150 years of industrial development, which had already had serious consequences for human health.
More than 1 billion participants confirmed worldwide
Today is the Earth Day not just an American but an international phenomenon which enjoys over 1 billion participants* worldwide in 199 countries. This is almost one eight of the world population, who wishes to set sustainable measures for the planet. One demand of the initiative frequently voiced is to persistently include climate and environmental education as a compulsory subject in school curriculums.
In terms of the content, the main points are today, above all, the themes of climate protection, science and education, people and communities, conservation and restoration and plastic and environmental protection. In particular the theme of plastic waste, primarily ways to reduce and avoid this, are gaining in importance. With the current ongoing „End Plastic Pollution-campaign“ (end the plastic pollution-campaign) the public is to be sensitized to the fact that the consequences of plastic pollution do not only have an impact on the ecosystem but also on the health of people and each and every one of us can do something to help find a solution to this problem.
VEOCEL™ and the Earth Day
The Lenzing group has been committed to this subject for many years and thus it produces VEOCEL™ fibers from the natural raw material, wood. Since there are large amounts of fossil-based plastic in way too many products, from textiles through to single-use products in hygiene applications. The VEOCEL™ fibers show in an impressive way that this does not have to be the case and there are alternatives: the wood-based cellulose fibers, which Lenzing produced using the highest standards of sustainability, are completely biodegradable and used in numerous products today. To strengthen awareness in the population for all kinds of plastic hidden in wet wipes as a result of a lack of clear labelling and to initiate rethinking, the company launched the „Its In Our Hands“ initiative. Thus on the one hand consumers* are sensitized and, on the other hand, the company seeks a diaologue with industry and the retail industry, to encourage a change in the products on offer. The VEOCEL™ fibers produced by Lenzing from the renewable raw material, wood, are a valuable substitute and can be used without any difficulty in all kinds of wet wipes.
In line with this slogan, it is really „in our Hands“, to do something towards change. And anyone looking for inspiration to make an active contribution does not have to wait till 22nd April, they will find 51 actions and pieces of advice on the page of earthday.org, to be able to do something right now.
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