TO CELEBRATE ON EARTH DAY
Earth Day is a time for everyone to think about our planet. EcoMall.com felt it would be great opportunity to focus on the many positive achievements recently made to help save our Mother Earth!
1) Shell abandons Alaska Arctic drilling Oil giant’s US president says hugely controversial drilling operations off Alaska will stop for ‘foreseeable future’ as drilling finds little oil and gas.
2) SeaWorld to end its orca whale breeding program and phase out orca whale performances in its three parks over the next three years. SeaWorld has been criticized for breeding, penning and training the animals for entertainment.
3) Solar and Wind power are booming. A record-breaking $286 billion invested in renewable energy in 2015, more than double fossil fuels.
America's solar market has grown every year for the last 15 years. And 2015 was no different. According to GTM Research's Solar Market Insight report, the U.S. installed nearly 7.3 gigawatts of solar capacity last year.
4) The US vegan population more than doubled in the past two years. The retail market for vegetarian foods has doubled to $1.6 billion and American meat consumption has declined by 10 percent. Animal agriculture is an extremely inefficient and resource-intensive way to produce food for the growing human population. It pollutes our environment while consuming huge quantities of water, grain, petroleum, pesticides, and drugs. Being vegan is better for our health, for our animals, for our environment and for our future.
5) Americans finally believe climate change is real. A recent poll shows 76% of Americans now know climate change is happening. Even a majority of Republicans, whose party has been in aggressive denial about this issue, now understand it’s a problem.
6) The Paris Climate Accord, which effectively signaled the end of the fossil fuel era.
2015 marks a pivotal moment in the history of global environmental policy. According to the New Climate Economy Report:
The planet got its first universal climate treaty. It was the outcome of years of negotiations: For the first time in history, all UN member states, not only industrialized countries but also developing countries committed to cutting greenhouse gas emissions and to cut global warming together. The Paris agreement is due to enter into force in 2020 and shall limit global warming to below 2 degrees, if possible even 1.5 degrees. The adoption of the agreement itself won’t save the planet. But it’s a roadmap for environmental action in the years to come.
"This gives me even more hope that humankind will be able to work together to combat climate change, the most important threat facing us today." - IEA’s lead economist, Fatih Birol
7) More people have access to clean water. The number of people without access to improved drinking water fell below 700 million for the first time in history. It means that more than 6.6 billion people, or 91% of the global population, now uses an improved drinking water source, up from 76% in 1990.
8) More people are buying healthy and green products. LOHAS is an acronym for Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability. It is a $355 billion market segment in the United States alone (growing about 10% a year) and a $546 billion market worldwide.
LOHAS now represent 23% of the population (about 50 million adults) in the United States. Almost seven in ten consumers use some type of organic product, a trend that has been moving steadily upward over the past 9 years. The future of our planet is in our hands. In many respects things are improving. This list of positive achievements demonstrates this. And we can be a part of continued progress and change!
Happy Earth Day!
About EcoMall Since its launch in November 1994, the EcoMall has provided educational articles, a comprehensive selection of environmental companies, products and services, exclusive interviews with celebrities and more. The EcoMall offers a voice to America's sustainable business industry, featuring over 300 retailers and wholesalers in over 70 shopping categories, links to government education, non-profit groups, environmental news, activism alerts, as well as the EcoMall’s popular and searchable “Green Living Magazine." 2016 will mark the EcoMall’s 22nd year on the Internet. Visit our web site at https://www.ecomall.com
Also see our other Earth Day features for more ideas:
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