Chicago prides itself on its miles of beautiful water, but keeping the water clean is a challenge. Pollutants, such as plastic products, litter the landscape and can harm marine life. April 22 is Earth Day when many people commit to doing their part to clean up the environment. This year is dedicated to ending plastic pollution by 2020 (Earth Day’s 50th anniversary). Whether you’re working individually or on behalf of an organization, here’s what you can do.
Step 1: Learn All You Can
Download the Plastic Pollution Primer to educate yourself about the problem. This manual describes the dangers of plastic pollution and how to minimize your use of the harmful material.
Step 2: Take Action
Use the calculator in the toolkit to figure out how much plastic you use. Develop a plan for reducing your carbon footprint and periodically evaluate your progress. Follow the movement on social media and sign up for newsletters. Don’t forget to post to your Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts about what you are doing to end plastic pollution. Share photos and videos to tell your story. Use hashtags #EarthDay2018, #EndPlasticPollution, #lessplastic and #plasticless. Kick off your commitment on Earth Day and keep it up throughout the year.
Step 3: Engage
Learn about how to organize events centered on ending plastic pollution. Register what you’re doing to gain a spot “on the map” and find out about other Earth Day activities in your locale. Tell others about the campaign, and continue to use social media to get your message across.
What Educators and College Students Can Do
Engage primary and high school students with the Climate Education Week Toolkit. This web-based resource spans multiple disciplines and contains a variety of lesson plans and activities dedicated to ending plastic pollution. Lessons begin on April 16 and culminate on Earth Day.
To target those in higher education, the Earth Day Network has launched MobilizeU. The movement connects college students and administrators from around the world who are committed to supporting a sustainable future for everyone through environmental action.
The central location of our Chicago apartments affords residents ample opportunities to make a difference. Contact us to learn more about our amenities and floor plans.