Earth Day’s theme for 2024 is Planet vs. Plastics, with the goal of a 60% reduction by 2040.
Since the first Earth Day in 1970, environmental activists set out to honor and celebrate our planet. “Earth Day is a reminder of the importance of environmental conservation and sustainability, encouraging us to come together and take action for a healthier planet and brighter future,” notes EarthDay.org. Through various events, toolkits, and initiatives, this group’s aim is to “raise awareness, inspire change, and foster a deeper connection with nature and to protect the Earth today and for generations to come.”
This year, EarthDay.org is focusing on its unwavering commitment to end plastics for the sake of human and planetary health, demanding a 60% reduction in the production of ALL plastics by 2040.
To achieve this goal, the group is:
(1) promoting widespread public awareness of the damage done by plastic to human, animal, and all biodiversity’s health and demanding more research be conducted on its health implications, including the release of any and all information regarding its effects to the public;
(2) rapidly phasing out all single use plastics by 2030 and achieving this phase out commitment in the United Nations Treaty on Plastic Pollution in 2024;
(3) demanding policies ending the scourge of fast fashion and the vast amount of plastic it produces and uses; and (4) investing in innovative technologies and materials to build a plastic-free world.