What action are you taking for Earth Day (and every day)?
All over the world countries, communities and individuals are joining forces to focus on how we reduce our impact on our planet.
Action is needed from from everyone starting at an individual level. If we all make small changes, big changes can happen.
Earth Day started in 1970 in the US to put clean air and water on the political agenda following the terrible 1969 oil spill in California. Over 20,000 million Americans marched at the first event which focused on pollution, dangers of pesticides, oil spill damage, loss of wilderness, and the extinction of wildlife. Today over 192 countries and billions of people share information, make different shopping decisions, plant trees, ride bicycles, clean oceans, advocate for policy change and help to make our planet a healthy place for all of us to enjoy.
Earth Day organisers have created a toolkit on holding a clean-up ( think single use masks and gloves!) or a teach-in (start the conversation on impacts we are facing). There is also a global list of events in your area
Modibodi customers tell us that part of the reason they love our products is that it helps reduce their monthly waste. Limiting their need for disposable pads, liners and tampons, which end up in our landfill taking 500-800 years to break down, longer if they end up in the ocean.
This increases emissions, accelerates climate change and increases poor air quality.
How can we change our daily habits to help affect change?
Here’s what action our team are taking to help lighten their impact:
I use my keep cup every day, an easy habit to change.
-Debbie
When I started at Modibodi, we were all given welcome packs with reusable fruit and veggie bags, keep cups and food wraps that I’m still using today.
-Sophie
I have switched to a shampoo bar to reduce packaging and use a reusable razor from Kappi, as well as natural deodorant.
-Viv
I don’t buy from fast fashion and choose my brands carefully and ethically.
-Taia
I decided to get a scooter to reduce my carbon footprint and cut down on fuel.
-Alysha
To avoid food waste, I’ve started cooking meals with my roommate. Reducing waste and it’s nice to share the experience.
-Lucie
We have started composting at my house, which all our food waste goes in reducing landfill – it's been a fun project and made me realise how much waste there is!
-Ali
This year I stopped buying plastic bottles and switched to a Soda Stream as I saw how much waste I was producing, and after starting at Modibodi I’ve learnt how long these things take to break down.
-Kara
During lockdown I switched to lose leaf tea rather than tea bags to reduce waste, as I was drinking a lot of tea!
-Nic
I haven’t bought a disposable product since I started at Modibodi.
-Sophie
What you can do on Earth Day and beyond:
- Be a conscious consumer and support businesses who have strong sustainability principles
- Try getting around by walking, cycling or public transport to reduce your greenhouse gas emissions
- Take your own shopping bags, reusable cup or container to stop reduce single use plastic
- Turn off the tap washing your teeth, fill the sink to wash dishes and fill the washing machine each load to save water
- Be an advocate, learn about environmental impacts and talk to your friends about it.
- Take a first step to support change by signing the petition to pass the Climate Change Act
To keep up to date and learn more from some of our inspiring activists (like Laura Wells, pictured) that we work with head here
What are some small (or big) ways you have changed your day to day life to be more sustainable? Have you made the switch to Modibodi? The average person that menstruates will use approx. 11,000 disposables items during their lifetime, and because these products are usually made with plastic, they can take 100’s of years to break down in landfill. That means that the first disposable pad that was ever made still exists somewhere on earth!
