EARTHDAY.ORG’s founders created and organized the very first Earth Day on April 22, 1970. Since then, EARTHDAY.ORG has been mobilizing over 1 billion people annually on Earth Day, and every other day, to protect the planet.
Forbes states:
Over the past 60 years, around eight billion tons of plastic has been produced, according to a recent study in the journal Science Advances — 90.5 per cent of which has not been recycled. As a result, this year’s Earth Day theme— “Planet vs. Plastic”— demands a 60% reduction in the production of all plastics by 2040.
- In 1950, the world produced just two million tons of plastic. We now produce over 450 million tons.
- Half of all plastics ever manufactured have been made in the last 15 years.
- Production is expected to double by 2050.
- More than one million plastic water bottles are sold every minute.
- Every year, about 11 million tons of plastic waste escapes into the ocean.
- Only 9% of plastics ever produced has been recycled.
- Plastics often contain additives that can extend the life of products, with some estimates ranging to at least 400 years to break down.
An advertisement from the American Plastics Council in a 1997 edition of the New Yorker suggested that plastic wrappers and containers were the “sixth food group” that were there to keep contaminates out of our food.
- For more info click on earth day 2024
