June 5th is World Environment Day (WED) – a Day dedicated by the UN to encourage worldwide awareness and action for the environment. WED is widely celebrated by many countries around the world through initiatives and activities that seek to promote positive actions for the environment at an individual, regional and international level. The international theme this year is “Seven Billion Dreams. One Planet. Consume with Care” which highlights that human needs, economic growth and the sustainable use of the environment are intricately linked.
Humans obtain food, air and water from the environment while the world economy runs on resources derived from the environment. Responsible management of the Earth’s natural resources is essential to sustain its ability to continue to provide for human well being and the economy. However, evidence is building that people are consuming far more natural resources than the planet can sustainably provide.
Humans are using up Earth’s resources at such high rates that many ecosystems are nearing depletion or irreversible change. This dire situation is driven by high population growth and economic development. According to the UN Secretary General, Ban ki-Moon “By 2050, if current consumption and production patterns remain the same and with a rising population expected to reach 9.6 billion, we will need three planets to sustain our ways of living and consumption”.
This year’s WED theme calls on every consumer to take responsibility to relieve the Earth from the demands of over-consumption and its’ drain on our natural resources. As individuals we need to be conscious that the planet is shared with 7 billion people!! As such each of us has a responsibility to consume wisely so that Earth can meet the needs of all of its people now and in the future.
As many of Earth’s natural resources are at the brink of being depleted we need to act urgently to stop excessive consumption and wastage and to change to sustainable living. The fact is that we have just one earth which has to sustain all 7 Billion of us and if we deplete the resources which are crucial to our existence we compromise our ability and that of future generations to live happy, healthy and productive lives. Whether it’s food, energy, water etc, let us be mindful of our consumption. Let us live but allow others to live too.

You can make a difference if you:
• Recycle old devices – this will help cut down on 20 to 50 million tons of e-waste that is discarded each year.
• Fix leaky Pipes –Fixing leaking pipes save an average of 10,000 gallons of water per year.
• Invest in your own water bottle – when you use a refillable water bottle instead of plastic you save about 3 litres of water for every litre you drink.
• Use reusable crockery and cutlery – when your meal doesn’t come in plastic, you help prevent over 260 species from ingesting or becoming tangled in plastic debris.
• Have a meatless day once per week –Going meatless for one day will help cut carbon emission equivalent to not driving a car for one month.

Remember our actions today can determine what happens tomorrow, be a smart consumer because “Every Action Counts”.

Source:
http://www.unep.org/wed/about.asp

You can share your ideas and questions by sending letters to: “Our Earth, Our Environment”, C/O EIT Division, Environmental Protection Agency, Ganges Street, Sophia, GEORGETOWN, or email us at: eit.epaguyana@gmail.com