what is world environment day

What is World Environment Day?

11th May 2018

What is World Environment Day? The United Nations General Assembly founded World Environment Day in 1974. It takes place every year in June 5th. It is the UN’s main annual event to encourage awareness all around the world, about the importance of protecting the environment; but most importantly it is about taking action. It is celebrated in over 100 countries, and is an important event for engaging people everywhere to take care of the Earth. The UN, through World Environment Day encourages people all over the world to take action, and to encourage their colleagues, friends or local community to join in too.

A different country hosts the official celebrations each year, and in 2018, that’s India. This means that India will be expected to focus on its own environmental challenges, while being supported in addressing them.

Each year, the UN choose a theme, and in 2018, the theme is ‘beating plastic pollution’.

As host, India has launched a huge campaign against single use plastic, especially single use plastic carrier bags. Many small businesses are objecting to this, but the government is appealing to citizens to do their bit, and to help India to become a global leader in eliminating single use plastic. This could be of major benefit for the environment. In addition to this, India has declared that all ‘protected areas’ and forest reserves will be plastic free zones.

What does World Environment Day mean to each of us? What can we do?

World Environment Day is all about individual action. There are lots of ideas and resources on the official website. You could organise a beach clean or a river clean. Or even pop out in your lunch hour every day for a week with colleagues and gather litter. Take bin bags and see who fills one first – then recycle the lot! Or you could make a commitment to reduce your use of plastic at home or at work. How about challenging your friends to see how many easy switches you can make, away from single use plastic items. One easy switch is ditching your plastic water bottles, and buying a reusable metal bottle. Fill it from the tap, and you will save money too! Take your own travel cup when you get a takeaway coffee – many cafes offer a discount if you do.

You could organise a plastic free party on World Environment Day, and give prizes for the most imaginative plastic free idea. How about a plastic free picnic? Let the world know what you are doing by using #BeatPlasticPollution.

At Make it Wild we are committed to using less plastic. Everything we sell is plastic free, and we don’t use any plastic in our packaging, which is all recycled. We have a Plastic Free Living section in our online shop. We have bamboo straws, bamboo toothbrushes and bamboo cutlery which are fantastic, and don’t miss our popular bees wax food wraps for your plastic free picnic! We also have a range of ethical skin care products which come in plastic free recyclable packaging.