2 What is Earth Day? A day to –Appreciate Mother Earth’s environment –Understand the issues that threaten her Observance –United Nations accepted June 5th as the day to celebrate Earth day Earth day is celebrated in more than 175 countries world-wide It’s time to save Earth Let us learn to love our Earth It’s time we Realize and Respond

Only planet known to support life Only planet in the universe known to have existence of life Well-balanced and self-sustaining eco-system Provides all the necessary elements for human, plant and animal life –Air, Water, Land & Minerals

Protects us from the sun Protective atmosphere –Oxygen to breathe –Cuts off ultra-violet and infra-red rays –Optimal light and heat from the sun –Conditions favorable for growing crops, plants, trees and flowers

Provides water Vital for sustenance of life on Earth Climatic changes bring in rain Lakes & rivers provide water for drinking and irrigation of crops

Provides land and soil Soil to grow crops, fruits, vegetables and plants Livelihood for farmers and sustenance for all beings (humans, animals and plants)

8 Impact of industrial revolution Smoke from the industries –Contributes to pollution –Acid rain, harmful to skin and affects drinking water Waste dumping into lakes/rivers –Affects drinking water –Causes cancer and deaths Military industrial complex –Unsafe radioactive waste disposal

Impact of driving cars and flying airplanes Exhaust from cars –Major source of Carbon dioxide in the atmosphere –A 12 miles per gallon vehicle in the city will emit an estimated 800 pounds of carbon dioxide over a distance of 500 city miles Exhaust from airplanes –Aviation industry causes 3.5 percent of global temperature –Could rise to 15 percent by 2050 Carbon dioxide from constructions –Building structures account for about 12% of carbon dioxide emissions.

Impact of cutting trees and burning forests Deforestation –Causes about 20-25% of all carbon emissions entering the atmosphere –About 34 million acres of trees are lost each year –Millions of acres of rainforests are lost every year, equivalent in area to the size of Italy

Impact of plastics usage We use plastics extensively, for example –Bottled drinking water/soda –Bags for groceries and many more… Disposal of plastics is not easy –Majority of plastics are not bio- degradable –Trashing into rivers and lakes affects fishes and other aquatic life Extensive plastic usage causes Emphysema & Lung cancer

Reduce electricity usage inside our home Switch to energy efficient lighting –Replace traditional bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs –Carbon dioxide emission is lessened by 700 pounds per bulb’s life Improve efficiency of appliances at home –Look for the Energy Star symbol when buying Reduce energy needed for heating and cooling –Heating & cooling generate about ½ billion ton of Carbon dioxide per year from United States alone –Wear warm clothes instead of turning on heat –Use a small fan than turning on the air conditioner –Move your thermostat two degrees cooler in winter and two degrees warmer in the summer Use clothes line for drying instead of a dryer Turn off appliances not in use –Computers, TV, Lights & Cell phone chargers …

Conserve water inside our home Check for leaky taps –Can conserve up to 10% of the wastage Do not let water running while –Brushing teeth –Shaving –Washing vegetables Use Ultra-low flush toilets –Traditional flush toilets consume about 3 to 5 gallons of water (~ 12 to 20 liters of water) for each flush Load dishwasher and clothes washer fully before using it –Try to minimize the usage –Use cold water to wash clothes Take shorter showers Use a broom to clean the walkway than run a water hose Water lawn only as needed –Reduce lawn size if possible –Aerate lawn and use sprinkler with larger drop Wash vehicles efficiently –Don’t run the water hose from start to end

Modify our food habits Eat more vegetarian/vegan foods –Requires less energy to cook –Emits less Carbon dioxide to the atmosphere –Healthier and environmentally friendly Eat fresh foods –Frozen foods require more electricity for cooking them Eat locally produced foods –Vast amounts of fuel and energy is spent in bringing food from various locations and preserving them at the supermarket –Avoid food transportation between cities/states –Buy from Farmer’s market

Modify our travel habits Use an energy efficient car –Hybrid/Electric cars, motorcycles and scooters –Electric vehicles are becoming common in countries like India Public transport –Use bus/local trains if possible to work –Many countries including India have bio-gas buses that are emission free – use them Walk/bicycle to work –Walk/bicycle at least 2 or 3 times a week if possible Work from home –A viable solution in countries like United States/Australia etc., –If possible choose to work from home at least 1 day a week Ride sharing –Car pool with colleagues to work

Modify our wardrobe Use Bamboo fiber clothing –Most sustainable plant –Grown with no chemicals and pesticides Use organic cotton clothing –Organic cotton mills do not use chemical fertilizers or pesticides –In countries like India, you could wear less synthetic/nylon clothes and choose cotton clothes Use Hemp clothing –Natural durable fiber –Eco-friendly crop, requires less water and no pesticides Dispose clothes properly –Don’t trash non eco friendly clothes, burn them

No plastics, please! Thank you Do not use a plastic bottle to drink water –Use steel/glass/ceramic containers –Drink tap water –Do not re-use plastic disposable containers Do not use plastic disposable plates and cups –Use steel/ceramic washable plates and cups – In countries like India you can use plantain (banana) leaves as disposables –Use bio-degradable plates and spoons if possible Use a cloth bag for groceries Minimize plastic trash bags at home –Use bio-degradable plastics instead Dispose plastics properly –Do not throw plastics into rivers/sewers/lakes –Do not inhale fumes from plastics

Conserve paper Use recycled paper Do not print unless required Use both sides of the paper –Change printer settings to print on both sides Recycle waste paper Use cloth towels instead of paper towels Use online banking if available and stop paper bills Cancel junk mail subscriptions Choose digital e-magazines over printed editions

Learn to dispose our trash properly 4 R’s –Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Repair Keep our surroundings clean Recycle paper, newspapers and milk containers Recycle batteries, electrical appliances and computer parts –Don’t throw these items into the trash – recycle them Recycle printer ink cartridges –Many companies have free cartridge recycle programs – make use of them Use bio-degradable products for producing compost –Acts as manure for the soil –Environmentally friendly

Recycle – Turn your old garbage into new products. Cardboard Glass Aluminum Paper Plastic

Organize Your Trash Place each item in its own special bin. Cardboard Bin Newspaper Bin Plastic Bin Aluminum Bin Glass Bin

Deliver It!  Take recyclables to your local recycling center.

Reuse Turn that old plastic milk jug into a bird feeder. Tin cans make excellent wind chimes. Decorate an old shoe box to use as a keepsake box. Make a funny hat out of old newspaper. Use a glass jar as a rain gauge.

Reduce Don’t buy it unless you REALLY need it. If you must buy it, make sure it IS recyclable.

So, what have we learnt so far? No, Plastics Yes, Cloth Yes, Vegetables No, Meat Yes, Energy saving lights No, Traditional lights Yes, Tap water with a glass No, Bottled water

What else have we learnt? No, Thorny bushesYes, Fruits and flowers plantsYes, Public transportNo, Private cars Yes, Bio-gas No, Gasoline/diesel Yes, Steel plates and cups No, Plastic plates and cups

Come, let us all together make a change