I got this article from my company. I am just coping and pasting here. Happy Earth Day !!!
On April 22, 1970, 20 million people across America celebrated the first Earth Day. It was a time when cities were buried under their own smog and polluted rivers caught fire. Now Earth Day is celebrated annually around the globe. Through the combined efforts of the U.S. government, grassroots organizations, and citizens like you, what started as a day of national environmental recognition has evolved into a world-wide campaign to protect our global environment.
If you want to do one thing on EARTH DAY, here are some tips or ways to GO GREEN here at work and home during EARTH DAY:
Recycle!
Get involved! Recycling is easy! By making an effort to recycle your paper, corrugated boards, aluminum cans, plastic and glass bottles, you can help to reduce waste and benefit the environment.
What’s So Great About Recycling?
Recycling can save dollars! Every pound of material that is recycled is a pound that the Company won’t have to pay to dispose of in a landfill. Reducing waste and increasing recycling volumes can help programs to run more efficiently and effectively.
Recycling saves energy! Placing 1 aluminum can in the recycling bin saves enough energy to power a television for 3 hours. Recycling 1 glass container saves enough energy to light a 100 watt bulb for 4 hours.
Recycling reduces pollution! Making products from recycled materials results in a reduction of air and water pollutants than would be generated by extracting and processing these materials from virgin materials. Recycling 4,800 of 16oz. soda bottles saves a cubic yard of landfill space.
Recycling conserves natural resources! Every ton of paper recycled saves 17 trees and every ton of glass recycled saves over 1 ton of resources from being mined.
Or Take Small Steps!
There are dozens of small things you can do everyday to save energy and keep the world cleaner and greener. YOU CAN:
Reduce Energy Use
Lights, computers, televisions, printers, furnaces, cars, etc. use energy and that energy is in short supply.
Turn off your lights when they are not being used.
If possible, take the stairs instead of using the elevator.
Use high-efficiency fluorescent lighting or natural light
Help hang clothes on the line instead of putting them in the dryer
Appliances like DVD players use energy even when off, so cutting the power totally is the only way to conserve.
Walk, ride a bike or take the bus instead of traveling by car
Use Water More Efficiently
Water-saving techniques can save money, and divert less water from our rivers, bays, and estuaries which help keep the environment healthy. They can also reduce water and wastewater treatment costs and the amount of energy used to treat, pump, and heat water. Saving water also means saving costs for electric power, gas, chemicals, and wastewater disposal.
Shut off the waster when brushing teeth
Take faster showers or baths in just a small amount of water
Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle Office Products
Buy recycled content, remanufactured, and recyclable office products, and recycle them when appropriate (including e-cycling electronics). At a minimum, buy recycled paper and recycle it again.
Clean out your files and recycle papers you no longer need.
Use spell check and proofread before you print or copy. Print double sided whenever possible. Minimize the amount of paper you use.
Buy reusable office supplies instead of disposable supplies.
Set up an area to store and exchange reusable office supplies, such as binders
Recycle fluorescent bulbs properly to prevent hazardous mercury from entering the environment.
Choose products that are not over packaged
Choose products that are safer to the environment
Why waste another day…Get Involved!