Investing in Our Planet
Earth Day 2022 is April 22. Founded in 1970 by Senator Gaylord Nelson, Earth Day began as a day to educate people about environmental issues. Nelson’s goal was to raise public awareness of pollution and bring environmental causes into the spotlight. (Editors, 2022) The 1970s saw several important pieces of legislation aimed at protecting the environment. Among the laws passed to protect the environment were the Clean Air Act, the Water Quality Improvement Act, the Endangered Species Act, the Toxic Substances Control Act and the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act. (Editors, 2022) Started in December 1970, the Environmental Protection Agency’s mission is to protect human health and the natural environment—air, water, and land. (Editors, 2022)
Today Earth Day is a global celebration. As stated on the web site, EarthDay.org, “We need to act (boldly), innovate (broadly), and implement (equitably). It is going to take all of us. All in. Businesses, governments, and citizens — everyone accounted for, and everyone accountable. A partnership for the planet.” (Earth Day Invest in Our Planet, 2022)
Many businesses are going green and putting forth the effort to be proponents of the environment. We are seeing coffee shops using more recyclable straws over plastic, people using reusable bags for shopping, and ordering apps giving people the option to not use plastic utensils.
Environmental startups have a different approach to solutions to sustainability concerns. Here are some examples of businesses that work to protect our planet.
Bakeys, an Indian company established in 2010, offers an alternative to plastic utensils. Their edible cutlery is made with different types of flour and all-natural ingredients like sorghum, wheat, rice, and millet. They produce spoons, forks, and chopsticks. (Brewster, 2022) According to their website, www.indiamart.com, their utensils come in sweet, savory, or plain flavors.
Concerned with the amount of water used when taking a shower? Cirrus Shower is an environmental startup that employs Cloud Maker technology to turn your stream of water in the shower into a pressurized mist. The Cirrus shower head can save 45- 75% of water by using the mist system versus a traditional shower stream. (Brewster, 2022)
Everyone enjoys fresh produce. Bowery Farms, a New York-based company, is utilizing vertical farming to grow to produce in industrial indoor spaces or smart farms. Since the plants are grown indoors, pests, pollution, and severe weather are not a concern. Bowery Farm’s mission states: “…we dream of a world where agriculture gives back to the people and planet more than it takes.” Their farms grow lettuce, leafy greens, herbs, and strawberries indoors. Learn more about Bowery Farms.
