​What to know about World Environment Day

Did you know that World Environment Day is just around the corner? In this post, we'll cover everything you need to know about this event, including its significance, impact and ways that you and your family can get involved. Let's get right into it!

When is World Environment Day?

World Environment Day is held every year on June 5th.

What's the purpose of World Environment Day?

The global event exists to build awareness about environmental protection across the world and to stimulate action to protect the planet. It was originally created by the United Nations and is now a vast and ever-growing event supported by a huge range of government bodies, businesses, groups and individuals.

Why does it matter?

The world's environmental crisis is becoming ever more pressing, and climate change shows just how immediately we need global solutions to the growing problem of pollution. Here are some shocking statistics shared recently by the UN in anticipation of World Environment Day:

- Over 400 million tonnes of plastic are produced annually across the globe, and of this vast amount, 50% is single-use plastic. Less than 10% will ever be recycled.

- A whopping 23 million tonnes of plastic end up in our water system every year, going into rivers, lakes and seas. To put this into context, the weight is akin to 2,200 versions of the Eiffel Tower, weighed simultaneously.

- Tiny microplastics, which are defined as measuring under 5mm in diameter, are now being found in every organism on earth, including water, food and the air itself. Scientists believe that every person in the world is now consuming over 50,000 microplastic particles every year through food and water alone. The impact of these foreign bodies on our systems is yet unknown.

- Single-use plastics, burned plastics and discarded plastics harm biodiversity and human health and are now polluting every single ecosystem on the planet, from the bottom of our oceans to the tops of our mountains.

What can we do?

Already, there have been huge strides to tackle the problem of environmental damage. Renewable energy, recycling and innovative new materials development are all helping to reshape the world and to clean it up. But there is still so much to be done. Businesses, governments, groups, people and other stakeholders must work together to force change at a faster, more cohesive and more meaningful level than is currently being achieved. Already, many people believe that climate change targets are insufficiently ambitious to stop global warming and pollution even if they are achieved. Many believe that these insufficient targets are unlikely to remain out of reach at the current rate of progress and government policies that still prioritise economics, business and growth over environmental protection.

What can we do to help?

The good news is that individual action can lead to powerful collective change, and World Environment Day is the perfect opportunity to learn something new, change some behaviours and get excited about the power we all hold to change our world and to protect what we love most about it.

Most schools will already mark and celebrate World Environment Day and many individual communities and groups will be engaged in activities and leading awareness to support it. At home, there is plenty that we can do to support the environment, and this has long been something that we're passionate about at Wares of Knutsford. For example, these are all things that we know our customers have already done or are in the process of doing to support their own eco-friendly initiatives at home:

1. Switching chemical cleaners and industrial household products for natural, eco friendly alternatives.

2. Getting rid of single-use plastics and instead using glass jars and glass bottles in the home to store, bottle, preserve and serve food and drink.

3. Choosing Earth friendly gifts that support small, sustainable businesses - or embracing craft to make eco friendly gifts such as bath salts, candles, cakes, bakes, preserves and more.

4. Using eco friendly Beeswax wraps instead of single-use plastic wrap to cover food.

5. Washing and recycling jam jars, glass bottle collections and other recyclable glass items where there is no immediate use for them at home.

6. Making use of beautiful wicker storage boxes, trays and other items for making up hampers, storing things at home and generally supporting an ancient, beautiful craft that has lasted for centuries.

So if you feel inspired to clean up your home, check out our glass jar (https://www.waresofknutsford.co.uk/jars/jam-jars/popular-jam-jars/) and bottle collection, look at our beeswax wrap and browse through our extensive range of eco-friendly home, gifting and craft materials online at Wares of Knutsford (https://www.waresofknutsford.co.uk/). We're truly passionate about the environment, the climate and our beautiful natural world and we're here to help our customers live cleaner, greener lives too. We offer great products, low prices, fast delivery and superb customer service with every order! Sign up for our newsletter and join our social media feed, too, so that you can see the latest news, products and offers online at Wares!