On April 22, 1970, more than 20 million Americans poured into the nation’s streets, public parks, and auditoriums to begin a national conversation on building a healthy, sustainable environment. A watershed moment in world history, the first Earth Day helped popularize the preservation of our wondrous world.
The bipartisan brainchild of Senator Gaylord Nelson and Congressman Pete McCloskey, 1970’s Earth Day was a monumental achievement that garnered incredible support from all walks of life. Liberals, conservatives, rich, poor, urban, and rural citizens alike; everyone was in favor of taking a few moments to put in place some plans that might help our beloved planet keep on spinning.
General Kinematics is proud to honor this tradition by not only commemorating this important holiday but by working to preserve our environment each and every day that we’re on the job.
How the World Celebrates
Since its inception in 1970, Earth Day has steadily gained popularity; its message of conservation reaching hundreds of millions of people in more than 190 countries. And each year brings new and exciting ways to celebrate the momentous holiday.
In 2000, a drum chain traveled from village to village in Gabon, Africa. In 2015 a group called Globibo arranged for volunteers to appear in panda costumes throughout the cities of Singapore, challenging the citizens to games as a reminder to have sustainable habits in daily life. In 2010, a quarter of a million people gathered for the Climate Rally on the National Mall Concert in Washington, DC to commemorate the occasion.
Throughout its history, Earth Day has marked the beginning of some of the world’s most ambitious environmental projects. A great example of this is A Billion Acts of Green, an initiative that has planted more than 2 billion trees around the world. Earth Day continues to be a beloved tradition around the world.
How You Can Get Involved
You don’t need to travel across the world to celebrate Earth Day. Instead, use April 22, 2017 as the opportunity to do your part by helping your business take responsibility for the planet. Here are some tips on how you can help.
Take an Honest Look at Your Energy Consumption
When it comes to helping the environment, every little bit counts. So, whether it’s an employee who lingers too long with the office refrigerator open, or it’s the entire team leaving electronics on when they aren’t in use, taking a close look at your company’s energy use and finding ways to improve your environmental footprint.
Plant a Tree
Let everyone on your staff get a few minutes outside to enjoy a tree-planting ceremony. It’s a simple, yet impactful way to improve the environment around you.
Start Recycling or Composting
If your company hasn’t initiated a recycling program, you can start one with as little as one phone call and a recycling bin.
Donate to an Environmental Charity
Take up a collection among your employees to donate to an environmentally-friendly charity of your company’s choosing. Want to score some extra points among your team? Offer to match the amount that your staff can generate and double your donation.
Go as Paperless as Possible
Make conscious efforts among your team to limit the amount of paper used from day to day. From note-taking to sending out memos, there are several easy ways to move your paper correspondence to an electronic form.
Doing Business with General Kinematics is Another Way to Help the Environment
From a business standpoint, there are lots of reasons to put your trust in the skilled professionals at General Kinematics. Our resource recovery equipment is proven to increase recovery of valuable waste commodities and minimize waste to landfill.
In addition to expertly engineered machines and infallible customer service, General Kinematics is also proud of our commitment to the environment. We’ve even been recognized by a leading recycling trade journal as the provider of “the best recycling system solution to the industry.”
This Earth Day, do your part to help improve our planet. It’s time to take personal and professional responsibility. In working with General Kinematics a step to more recovery is a step to a better planet.
