Earth Day 2023, which takes place on April 22, marks the 53rd year that people have come out into the streets to rally for planetary responsibility, joined park and environmental cleanups, and participated in climate learning events. The first Earth Day was the largest public demonstration in history as of that time. Michael Karapetian, the Great Global Cleanup Campaign coordinator for Earth Day Network explains how to participate in this year’s Great Global Cleanup events, which will be focused on improving the management of waste, particularly food waste. See the map of Earth Day events to find cleanups near you.
Cleanup events give everyone — individuals and organizations — the “opportunity to see the positive, tangible impacts their actions have on our environment and in the fight to create a waste-free world.” Getting out to clean up a park or a beach, where finding plastic litter is a powerful reminder about the choices we make when buying and disposing of items made with plastic, which range from fast-fashion polyester clothing to bottles and cigarette butts. Michael also provides updates about Earth Day Network’s End Plastic Pollution movement and discusses recent reforestation projects in India, where The Canopy Project is planting mangrove trees in coastal areas. You can find local cleanups and learn how to participate in Earth Day events all year long at earthday.org.
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