WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY
For the past 15 years, World Environment Day has been celebrated and marked on June 5 in a very large number of countries around the world. Especially in the last few years, the increasing importance of this day has been recognized, which is why an increasing number of organizations and individuals join its celebration globally. For more than two decades, we have been actively talking about the problem of environmental pollution, but is anything changing regarding this problem, or is the situation only getting worse?
It is clear and easily noticeable, how the world and its structure have changed significantly compared to how they were in the past. The natural environment in many cases has been changed and adapted to human needs and only now are we starting to drastically feel the consequences that ecologists and other experts in this field have been warning us about for many years. Pollution of the planet Earth, careless and excessive use of its resources, destruction of natural habitats, and numerous animal and plant species, lead to the fact that every year we feel greater climate changes and a lower quality of the remaining natural resources. Many of us often ask ourselves: "What can I, as an individual, do about it?"
The answer to that question can be much simpler than we think. Of course, it is not realistic to think that one person can undo decades of pollution and damage that people have caused to the environment, nor solve the problem of pollution completely on their own. It is not even realistic to be a completely ecologically aware person who does not contribute to pollution in any way, but each of us can strive to do as much as we can. There are many small things that each of us can do to help our planet recover as soon as possible and to avoid the catastrophic consequences that can occur if we continue to abuse the resources we have. The most important thing is not to think that we cannot do anything about this issue, bearing in mind the famous and often quoted words of Gandhi: "The world has enough for everyone's need, but not enough for everyone's greed.'' Although the official theme of World Environment Day this year is plastic, below we are giving you a few different pieces of advice on how you can easily reduce your contribution to environmental pollution and thus help planet Earth in its recovery:
- Reduce or eliminate the use of single-use plastics.
The UN Environment Program announced that people produce more than 430 million tons of plastic annually, of which about 46% end up in landfills, and about 22% pollutes the environment, and it is estimated that less than 5% of single-use plastics are recycled annually. Also, it has been estimated that between 30 and 45 thousand tons of plastic end up in nature every year in our country, or about 10 to 15 kilograms of plastic per person. It is precisely for this reason that the use of plastic should be avoided, especially plastic intended for single use. Take shopping bags to the store or reuse the plastic bag you already have, avoid buying plastic bottles, straws, and other products that you won't be able to use more than once. Whenever you have the chance, choose cardboard, paper, or glass alternatives.
- Sort waste and recycle as much as you can.
If you use single-use plastic, recycle it or at least sort it and throw it in the appropriate containers. Although this practice has not yet taken root in a large part of the territory of our country, in many cities special places for the disposal of special types of waste are being introduced, such as recycling machines or containers for waste separation. Sorting and properly disposing of waste according to its types is the only chance that it will ever be recycled, which is why it is extremely important to separate paper, plastic, metal, bio-degradable, hazardous, and medical waste. Also, organizations and companies such as AIDA Commerce d.o.o. – Reciklaža i otkup sekundarnih sirovina, Omorika Reciklaza, Reciklaža – PRIZMA Comerc Banja Luka, Fortin d.o.o. i Eko Život are some of those in our country that primarely deal with the collection and recycling of different types of waste, and which also offer numerous recycling-related tips on their websites, as well as volunteering opportunities and eco-actions that you can sign up for.
- Avoid GMO food and products that contain such ingredients.
Just two decades ago, various seed and chemical companies argued that genetically modified crops would be good for the environment because they would reduce pesticide use and increase production. Of course, it turns out that GMOs require even greater use of herbicides such as glyphosate, classified by the World Health Organization as "probably carcinogenic to humans."
In addition, GMO food is harmful to the environment and the global ecosystem, because as such it significantly contributes to the reduction of biodiversity and general contamination or pollution. For your personal health and environmental well-being, avoid buying products that most likely contain GMO ingredients, the most common of which are corn, soybeans, sugar beets, potatoes, alfalfa, and apples, which as such are mostly used for industrial animal food, and which is the main reason why meat and other foods of animal origin are often included in this food category. To avoid consuming food that contains GMO products, try to eat as much possible local food of known origin, avoid highly processed products and prepare food for yourself at home as often as you have the opportunity to do so.
- Reduce car use.
It is estimated that a typical passenger car emits about 4.6 metric tons of carbon dioxide per year. Of course, this number can vary depending on vehicle type, fuel economy, and annual mileage. The available data indicate that in our country we have a constant increase in the number of vehicles in use and that in the past year, there was an increase of 32,015 registered vehicles, i.e. 2.78% compared to the previous year, of which a very large number still do not meet Euro standards related to the ecological structure. The simplest way you can reduce environmental pollution related to the use of a car, is to choose alternative means of transport, as well as to prefer to walk or ride a bicycle, especially when it comes to shorter travel distances. Also try to be as responsible as possible regarding your vehicle, regularly and properly change the oil, use better quality fuels and responsibly dispose of car parts that you can no longer use.
- Consider reducing your consumption of dairy and meat products and fish.
Although you might never think, the dairy, meat, and fishing industries are currently one of the leading polluters of the environment on a global scale. The reason for this is the industrialization and mass production of these foods, which occurs as a result of excessive demand for these types of products. Numerous studies conducted so far on this topic have shown that cow's milk has a significantly greater impact on environmental pollution than its plant alternatives, given that the dairy industry causes about three times more greenhouse gas emissions, occupies almost ten times more land, uses even up to twenty times more drinking water and creates much higher levels of eutrophication.
Also, raising animals in the meat industry requires large amounts of food. Millions of hectares of land are used to produce monoculture crops intended solely for feeding livestock, causing deforestation or the loss of original prairie and grass areas. The conversion of natural habitats into agricultural fields contributes to the release of a larger amount of carbon and results in significant climate changes, and in most cases, such crops are treated with toxic chemicals and artificial fertilizers, which results in the release of harmful substances such as bacteria, antibiotics, pesticides, and heavy metals into the surrounding environment.
The commercial fishing industry also poses a major problem in polluting the environment, given that it often neglects the sustainability of its practices in its primary concern for profit. A large number of marine life is facing extinction, of which some species such as bluefin tuna, Atlantic cod, Atlantic salmon, Chilean sea bass, red-fin, and many others are still actively caught and sold regardless of the species endangerment. Also, about 640,000 tons of fishing equipment ends up as waste in our oceans every year, which is equivalent to the weight of 50 thousand double-decker buses, and this ends up as a reason for the death of over 100,000 whales, dolphins, seals, and turtles annually. Probably the biggest ethical and environmental concern coming from the commercial fishing industry is by-catch, which is defined as the discarded catch of marine species and undetected mortality due to direct encounters with fishing vessels and equipment. Because of all this, think about reducing the consumption of the mentioned foods and their products. There are many documentaries on this and related topics that you can watch to better understand this topic and try to practice meat-free days or participate in different vegan or similar challenges.
- Stop smoking cigarettes and/or other tobacco and similar products.
Cigarettes and other tobacco products are extremely harmful to their active and passive consumers, but they are equally harmful to the environment itself, considering that they are one of its leading polluters. The World Health Organization - WHO, in its reports, states that the tobacco industry annually costs the world more than 8 million human lives, 600 million trees, 200,000 hectares of land, 22 billion tons of water, and 84 million tons of CO2. If this is still not a sufficient reason for you to stop smoking, in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Law on the Control and Limited Use of Cigarettes, Tobacco and Other Smoking Products has recently started its implementation, which now prohibits smoking in all closed public spaces, places of work and in public transport, as well as in private means of transport where minors are present.
- Be responsible when buying clothes, shoes, and other textile materials.
Back in 2017, the environmental protection organization - Ellen Macarthur Foundation published information that about 60% of the materials in the modern fashion industry contain plastic, which is why about 500,000 tons of microfibers from clothing end up in the ocean every year, and various studies have shown that fashion industry is responsible for about 10% of carbon emissions, and that this percentage could reach 26% by 2050. Also, at the end of 2021, the European Commission announced that on an annual basis, 5.8 million tons of textiles end up in landfills across Europe and that only a quarter of that amount is recycled. One of the simplest ways we can prevent environmental pollution with textiles is simply donating or giving away clothes we no longer want to wear, to someone who needs them. Shop in second-hand stores or brands that are environmentally responsible as such or offer the option of clothing made from recycled materials. When shopping, also take into account the composition of the material from which a particular garment is made and avoid those made from non-recyclable materials or animal leather/fur.
- Avoid using fireworks and other pyrotechnic devices.
The most basic component that all fireworks are made of is black powder, which is made from a mixture of 75% potassium nitrate, 15% charcoal, and 10% sulfur, and additional chemicals, such as coal, sulfur, aluminum, and manganese, are then added to the fireworks as stabilizers, oxidants, and additional colors. Chemicals from fireworks don't just disappear. When burned and exposed to oxygen, their substances undergo a chemical reaction called combustion, resulting in short-term entertainment and toxic atmospheric pollutants. Toxic mists, also known as pollution with so-called PM particles, remain in the air and are considered the most dangerous air pollutant due to their ability to affect the lungs and hearts of people, and to permanently pollute the environment. The guidelines of the World Health Organization - WHO on air quality warn that the average concentration of PM2.5 should not exceed 5 micrograms per cubic meter of air per year. The same applies to other pyrotechnic means, which as such, in addition to being harmful to the environment and human health, also cause fear in animals, children, the elderly, persons with PTSD, and a people with developmental disabilities.
- Take care of the origin and composition of your cosmetics and other chemical products.
The cosmetic and chemical industries are also major polluters. Packaging represents about 70% of waste in the chemical and beauty industry and makes up about 20 billion units of waste every year. Also, palm oil is one of the most commonly used ingredients in cosmetics, and its high demand has led to unsustainable extensive cultivation. In the past decades, to make room for palm oil plantations, huge areas of natural forests have been removed and countless animal species have lost their homes. In addition, studies show that various fragrance products emit the same level of chemical vapors as petroleum emissions from cars, in the form of "volatile organic compounds" more popularly known as VOCs. However, perhaps the biggest problem in this sense is represented by single-use chemical and cosmetic items, which are used to apply and remove cosmetics, such as wet wipes, cotton sticks, and pads, face masks, and absorbent sheets that are used only once.
Also, these industries are known for testing their products on animals, to prevent unwanted effects on humans. Besides the fact that testing cosmetics on animals is inhumane and unnecessary, it is also a major source of environmental pollution. The devastating fact is that around 80% of countries still allow the testing of cosmetics on animals, thus exposing over 100 million animals annually to various allergens, which often cause their suffering and death. Strong chemicals found in certain cosmetic and chemical products also hurt people's health, which is why you should think about what products you use for personal hygiene and cleaning. It would be most optimal to use products that do not contain any chemical ingredients and that have been processed as little as possible and thus have not been tested on animals. Often, vegan cosmetic and chemical products are those that have the least chemical and harmful ingredients and are not tested on animals, which is why they are mostly the best choice you can make.
- Volunteer and spread awareness about environmental protection.
One of the best ways you can help the environment is to volunteer in organizations that deal with its protection. One very good example of this is the organization ‘‘Let's do it’’ which conducts numerous clean-up and tree-planting actions on the territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and similar actions are often carried out by ‘‘Eko Život’’. You can also organize cleaning actions of your local communities or natural areas independently with your friends, taking care of personal safety when collecting waste, and you can also join the volunteer team of the "EVA" Organization and participate with us in different actions of this type. You can also help by spreading awareness of the importance of environmental protection, as simply as you can by sharing this or similar texts, and by getting more information about this topic at one of the following links: 10 Tips To Living a Greener Lifestyle - Oh-Wake Magazine (ohwake.org); 100 Ways to Heal the Planet - Heal the Planet; Act Now | United Nations.
