How to Celebrate World Environment Day (June 5th)

Today is World Environment Day, and I will say that one of my favorite things about the Scouting community is the dedication people have to be earth-conscious individuals. As we celebrate today, I wanted to bring some focus and awareness to air pollution and how we can do our part in reducing our impact on the environment!

Did you know that open waste burning and organic waste in landfills are two of the ways that we as individuals are impacting our earth’s air quality? As far as waste burning goes, about 40% of waste is burned openly around the globe. It’s definitely more common in developing countries, but we also do it here in the United States as individuals (hello, burn barrels…)! We also harm our environment when we toss our food scraps (organic waste) into our regular garbage, so it ends up in landfills. Organic waste makes up about two-thirds of landfills, and when it decomposes there, it releases methane gas. Methane gas is more potent than carbon dioxide in its heat-trapping qualities, making it a significant issue for our environment.

SO, you might be wondering, cool! How can I help?! Here are seven ways you can help reduce your negative impact on our earth’s air quality:

1. Compost your organic waste! The reason why methane gas output is so high in landfills is that the food scraps are decomposing in an airless environment. When the matter breaks down anaerobically, it creates methane gas at a much higher rate. There are so many types of composts you can do, but if you are interested in worm composting, check out this blog on how to get started!
2. Pledge to stop burning trash. We have an opportunity here to stop burning our trash – with so much information at our fingertips, it is time to figure out alternatives! A Scout is Clean and a Scout is Thrifty!
3. Grow your own food and eat local produce and meat. Think about it – carting those oranges from Florida all the way to Washington creates way more truck pollution than eating apples or blueberries grown there! Local farmer’s markets are a great place to discover local produce and local meats – they also give you an opportunity to try new and different foods (which is great for your health!). You could also check out local farm-to-table restaurants close to you – make it a fun way to research new ways to use local products!
4. Plant a tree or two! This is a fantastic activity that you can do with your pack, troop, or family. Not only are you positively impacting the environment, but you are also creating lifelong memories!
5. Run the A/C less. Air conditioning units use a lot of energy, pulling from power plants (who in turn have a large output of air pollution). There are lots of ways to improve the efficiency of cooling your home! Add trees to your yard to help shade your house during the afternoon (that also checks the box for #4 on this list as well!), add better attic insulation, add thicker curtains over your windows to block the intense, hot afternoon light, and air seal your doors to prevent air leaks!
6. Reduce driving as much as possible. Walk, bike, or carpool to help! Other ways to reduce your impact that are transportation related: keep your car tuned up, do not idle in your car, avoid diesel engines if possible, do not speed up or drive aggressively, and keep your tires properly inflated!
7. Stop using one-use disposables like paper towels, napkins! Seriously, this one is WAY easier than you think. How many extra t-shirts are sitting in your drawers that need to go to Goodwill? Instead of driving them there, cut them up and turn them into rags (and BONUS, you will then hit #6 as well!). Those rags work well for wiping up spills, countertops after cooking, and I use them as napkins for my little one. They are perfect for anything you would usually use a paper towel for! Or how about actually using those cloth napkins you registered for during your wedding season? We started using ours every day, instead of waiting for the once a year, special occasion to roll around! Ever stain your kitchen towels beyond repair? They make perfect rags as well (more “paper” towels!). A bonus to stopping paper towel consumption? It saves money! No more throwing money away with paper towels. By doing this, not only are you reducing trees cut, but also lowering the impact of paper mills producing your paper products.

On this day, challenge yourself to think outside of the box – how can you reduce your impact? Your family’s impact? By becoming more aware, we have the opportunity to be more responsible global citizens and advocates for earth health. As you make small changes, share them with us on social media! Tag us in your photos using #ScoutShopBSA and #BeatAirPollution for your chance to be shared on our social channels!