Why Do We Celebrate Earth Day?
In the 1960s, issues like the misuse of harmful pesticides, growing health concerns around air pollution, and unregulated industrial pollution were growing concerns, especially as environmentalists and the general public alike became more aware of the detrimental effects of industrial development on our planet. The growing environmental movement inspired more conversation and eventually led to the grassroots Earth Day protest in the 1970s, which has since become an annual event to bring people together and show support for environmental protection!
The very first Earth Day - held on April 22nd, 1970 - brought millions of people from across the United States together to raise awareness about everything from toxic dumps to wilderness loss, as they banded together to advocate for change. In 1990, Earth Day evolved into a global event, with people and advocates across the globe celebrating the planet and taking action to protect it.
Since then, an estimated one billion people have participated in Earth Day activities every year. Earth Day has even been the catalyst for many integral environmental campaigns, missions, and initiatives. This day serves as an important reminder for all of us to do our part in protecting the planet and to take whatever actions are available to us to address the environmental challenges the world continues to face.
Photo: NYC Dept. of Records and Information Services
What can we do?
This year’s theme prioritizes investing in sustainable solutions at every level of society - businesses, governments, and civic - to take action against the climate crisis. Our modern society is largely built on convenience and disposability, which has led to overconsumption in everything from fast fashion to single-use plastics. But we at Uvida believe that everyone can do their part by investing in sustainable solutions, even if just at home!
This is why Maria created Uvida Shop, so that everyone could get all of their zero waste products in one place. We want to make sure that eco-friendly alternatives are easily accessible to you, so Uvida Shop does all the research to curate the best sustainable brands.
Uvida can help you wherever you are on your journey to living a more sustainable lifestyle. Whether you’re a beginner or a veteran, our goal is to make it easier for you to learn about ways to help our natural world and invest in products that won't hurt our environment! That’s why we write these blog posts and offer plastic-free alternatives to everyday items like our bamboo toothbrushes or straws! We want to help you understand these sustainable options, so here are some of our favorite picks that will help you reduce your carbon footprint and create a big impact this month!
- Bamboo Options like Straws and Toothbrushes: Bamboo is a great alternative to plastic as it is a completely natural material, biodegradable, and 100% compostable! Not only that, it takes fewer resources to grow than traditional lumber.
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- Bar Options like Shampoos, Conditioners, Soaps, and Lotions: These bar options get rid of the need for plastic packaging and reduce water weight during shipping, meaning fewer greenhouse gas emissions going into our atmosphere!
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- Forever Options like Stainless Steel Razors, Metal Chopsticks, and Silicone Covers: Forever options do as the name suggests, they last forever. These products are endlessly reusable, meaning you’ll never need to throw them away or buy a new one!
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- Refill Options, Reuse your Containers: Uvida carries all of these options and even has a refillery station for all of your liquid products! Bring in your own containers, fill them up, and pay by ounce to reduce your use of plastic packaging!
Make a Change, Happy Earth Day!
This Earth Day, we want to help everyone make a commitment, big or small, to reducing plastic waste! Whether you’re looking for reusable options, compostable alternatives, or sustainable solutions, Uvida will be here for you! We hope our selections were helpful to you, but feel free to browse our entire collection now!