We may seem ignorant but somewhere we are concerned about our home planet. Many of us are taking the necessary steps, even small, but what matters is that we are ready for the change. Yes, we are ready for a lifestyle that is free from plastic. So, on this Earth Day 2024 – Planet vs. Plastics, let us together enter the ring where plastic is the main player, knock it down and make our planet win.
Earth Day Theme 2024 – Planet Vs. Plastics
This year’s focus is on plastic and the threats it poses to our environment, flora, fauna, and us. Their aim is to call an end and to find better & quicker replacements for single-use plastics. Because it is evident that we are drowning in our own created world of plastic.
Earth Day 2024 – Planet vs. Plastics
The concept of Planet vs. Plastics is to unite people from all parts including students, businesses, parents, churches, individuals, NGOs, unions, and government. Its aim is to unite them to end plastics for the sake of human and planet’s health. This Earth Day marks the beginning of an unwavering journey towards a 60% reduction in plastic production by 2040.
This year, Earthday.org is demanding the International Negotiating Committee on Plastic Pollution (INC) to make it mandatory to end the production of single-use plastic by 2030. This demand aligns with the Global Plastics Treaty. Moreover, they are demanding the implementation of the treaty under precautionary principles and the polluter pays doctrine.

Earth Day 2024 – Planet vs. Plastics Goals for 60% Reduction
- Promote awareness about the damage done by plastic to humans and animals, along with its impact on biodiversity.
- It aims to demand more research on the health implications, including all information related to its effects on public health.
- To rapidly phase out all single-use plastic by 2030 to achieve the phase out commitment on UN’s Treaty on Plastic Pollution 2024.
- To demand policies for ending fast fashion to limit the huge amount of plastic produced and used by it.
- To invest more in innovative materials and technologies for building a plastic-free world.
President of Earth Day Network, Kathleen Rogers says, “The Planet vs. Plastics campaign is a call to arms, a demand that we act now to end the scourge of plastics and safeguard the health of every living being upon our planet.”
Denis Hayes, Chair Emeritus of Earth Day Network, said. “All this plastic was produced by a petrochemical industry with an abysmal record of toxic emissions, spills, and explosions.”
“Plastics are produced in polluting facilities that somehow seem to always be located in the poorest neighborhoods. Some plastics are lethal when combusted; other plastics transmit hormone-disrupting chemicals; and all plastics can starve birds and suffocate sea life. At every stage of their life cycles, from the oil well to the town dump, plastics are a dangerous blight,” Denis further added.
Facts Highlighted About Plastic
- Plastic is not just an environmental eyesore but a grave threat to humanity and a major reason for adverse climate changes.
- It breaks down into microplastics that release toxic chemicals into our food water bodies. Little did we know but their traces are present in the air we breathe.
- It is concerning as plastic production grew more than 380 million tons per year.
- The amount of plastic produced in the last 10 years is more than it took place in the entire 20th century.
- In 2023, the average production was 500 billion plastic bags, around 1 million bags per minute.
- Many plastic bags have a life of a few minutes, but they last for centuries.
- US alone sold around 100 billion plastic beverage containers in 2023. Shockingly, it is more than 300 bottlers per American.
- Some of these plastic bottles will be fortunately converted into park benches.
- 95% of all plastics in the United States is never going to be recycled. Do you know about these 15 problems with recycling plastic and solutions for recycling.
- They are simply downcycling 5% of plastic that is recycled into inferior products or are simply shipped to poorer countries to recycle.
- Little did we know, making plastic bottles requires 6x the water a bottle itself can contain.
- More than 100 billion garments are annually produced in the fast fashion industry.
- Overconsumption and overproduction lead to disposability of fashion.
- People are buying and throwing 60% more clothes than they used to buy 15 years ago.
- Only 1% of garments are recycled and more than 85% of them end up in incinerators.
- Crude oil is a major ingredient for manufacturing more than 70% of the clothing. This releases microfibers when washed and further contributes to landfill and ocean pollution.
Cross-Reference: Planet vs. Plastics Global Theme for Earth Day 2024
About Earth Day
Before we finish our article on Earth Day 2024 – Planet vs. Plastics, let me explain the rich history of Earth Day. 22nd April is known as birthday of the modern environmental movement as in later years it has truly transformed into a global event. It is surprising but around 192 countries have been motivated to take necessary actions for the environment.
Why is it Celebrated?
It all began with a bestseller, Silent Spring. Yes, an author changed people’s perspective about the food chain. Author Rachel Carson, in 1962, published her book on pesticide DDT and its damaging effects on the food chain. Her book raised great awareness about the delicate balance of nature.
The book sold more than 500,000 copies in 24 countries and people became aware of the links between pollution, public health and the environment. But to mark the day as Earth Day, this idea came to then Junior Senator from Wisconsin, Senator Gaylord Nelson. He was worried about the deteriorating environment of the United States.
The massive offshore oil spill in Santa Barbara, California instils a strong objective in his mind. After visiting the spill site, he decided this is high time and there should be a concept to make the public aware of these things.
Nelson announced the concept of teach-ins in college campuses to national media. He also convinced Pete McCloskey, a Republican Congressman, to serve as his co-chairperson. No sooner had the idea spread beyond college campuses and spread in all circles of society. There were events around the country and Nelson along with his team came up with the name Earth Day.
Why April 22?
Particularly the idea was to reach a large number of people, but mostly college students. Denis Hayes, a young activist hired by Senator Nelson for organizing the campus teach-ins. He was also responsible of figuring out ways to reach out to a huge number of people.
He came up with the idea of gathering people on a day to spread the word. But they needed a specific day which could be the same for all age groups. Denis decided it to be 22-April-1970, a weekday which is between the final exams and Spring break. This was the time when almost all college students were around the campus.
Was it impactful?
In a broader sense we can say, yes, it has been impactful. After the 1st Earth Day, U.S. Congress was pressurized to address pollution more actively and effectively. By the end of 1970, the US Environmental Protection Agency was founded along with the enforcement of many environmental protection laws, including:
- The National Environmental Education Act
- The Occupational Safety and Health Act
- The Clean Air Act
- The Clean Water Act
- Moreover, later in the year 2000, Earth Day started targeting climate change too.
When did Earth Day Went Global?
Finally, in 1990, Earth Day moved outside the United States and reached more than 200 million people from 141 countries. These people joined efforts to boost recycling efforts on a global scale that year. This movement paved way for the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Cross-Reference: OUR HISTORY
Is it a Holiday on Earth Day?
No, it is not a federal holiday but many groups on this day volunteer environmental events. This may be cleaning the beaches, parks or raising awareness about how to properly segregate waste and much more.
Today, Earth Day 2024 – Planet vs. Plastics marks the beginning of a crucial journey, but I would rather call it a fight against ourselves. I know it is not going to be easy because we have been so comfortable with plastic that refraining ourselves from using it is going to be hard. But together we need to take the stand for ourselves, our planet and future generations to come. We can do it!
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