“Planets vs. Plastic” is the theme of Earth Day April 22

Each year, the EARTHDAY.ORG platform coordinates events around the world to demonstrate global support for the environmental movement. More than 1 billion people in 192 countries participate in Earth Day activities, making it the largest celebration in the world.

The MoEW, through its regional structures, participates in the celebration of Earth Day with various activities and initiatives throughout the country in support of the global movement for environmental protection.

This year’s campaign theme is “Planets vs. Plastic” (Planet vs. Plastics). People around the world are being urged to make a collective commitment from governments, institutions, businesses and citizens to tackle the plastic crisis by reducing plastic production by 60% by 2040 and building a plastic-free future because recycling alone is no longer enough.

To achieve the 60% reduction target it is necessary to:

• Raising public awareness of the damage caused by plastic to human health, animals and all biodiversity. You can read the EARTHDAY.ORG report “Babies vs. Plastics” to learn more about how plastics, microplastics and their additives can harm children.
• Phase out all single-use plastic products by 2030, with this commitment enshrined in the UN Global Compact on Plastic Pollution in 2024. More than 500 billion plastic bags, or one million bags per minute, were produced globally last year. Many have a service life of only a few minutes, followed by a life as waste lasting centuries. Even after plastic breaks down, it remains in the environment in the form of microplastics – tiny particles that permeate every niche of life on the planet.
• Advocacy for policies aimed at combating the environmental impact of fast fashion, which relies on the use of synthetic materials made from plastics such as polyester and nylon. Today, the fast fashion industry produces over 100 billion garments annually. People are buying 60% more clothes than they did 15 years ago. Approximately 85% of clothing ends up in landfills or incinerators, and only 1% is recycled. Nearly 70% of clothing is made from crude oil, which releases dangerous microfibers when washed and continues to contribute to long-term pollution in landfills.
• Investing in innovative technologies aimed at finding sustainable alternatives to plastics, as plastics are made from oil and toxic chemicals.

Everyone can be part of the decision to create a future where the planet thrives without the burden of plastics.

You can see the program of events and initiatives to celebrate Earth Day, organized by the regional divisions of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications throughout the country, HERE.

More information on the Earth Day theme “Planets vs. Plastic” can be found HERE.