Nature Nerd: Earth Day Facts

Happy Earth Day!

1. Earth Day was founded by Senator Gaylord Nelson on April 22, 1970.
2. 20 million people participated in the first Earth Day.
3. More than 100 billion pieces of junk mail are delivered in the United States each year.
4. It only takes about 6 weeks total to manufacture, fill, sell, recycle, and then remanufacture an aluminum beverage can.
5. Half the world’s tropical and temperate forests are now gone.
6. More than 2 million people globally die prematurely every year due to outdoor and indoor air pollution.
7. By reducing our waste 1% per year and recycling and composting 90% of our discards by 2030, we could save 406 megatons of carbon dioxide equivalent every year. This is the equivalent to shutting down 21% of our nation’s coal-fired power plants