Monday, December 12, 2016

Green Holidays around the World - 7 days you should be celebrating next year!



It's the most wonderful time of the year! As this year comes to an end we cherish our time with friends and family, enjoy some time off and celebrate with holiday lights and treats.

But did you know that there are dozens of GREEN HOLIDAYS that people celebrate around the world? That's right, we're celebrating the earth many times each year. This blog post will highlight some of our favorite green holidays!

1.     World Water Day

Every year on March 22, people everywhere show that they care about water and the role it plays in our daily life. This international observance is an opportunity to learn more about water related issues, be inspired to tell others and take action to make a difference. It has been around since 1992 when the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development recommended an international observance. Check our blog post “Wasting Water – A Guide to Conservation and Innovation” to learn more about water usage in the U.S. and what you can do to conserve.

2.      Earth Day

According to the official Earth Day Website, the first Earth Day on April 22, 1970, activated 20 million Americans from all walks of life and is widely credited with launching the modern environmental movement. Twenty years later, Earth Day went global, mobilizing 200 million people in 141 countries and lifting environmental issues onto the world stage. More than 1 billion people now participate in Earth Day activities each year, making it the largest civic observance in the world.

Earth Day is our favorite! Every April NC GreenPower gets dozens of requests for events and speaking opportunities. Help us celebrate the earth by signing up to volunteer!

        



3.      Bike To Work Day

This annual event is held on various days in the spring across the United States and Canada. Bike Month is in May, and Bike to Work Week is the week of Bike to Work Day, which varies from city to city. 

It promotes the bicycle as an option for commuting to work. If you live close enough to work, resolve to make an effort to bike or walk to work (if you don’t already!). Studies have shown that those who commute to work by bicycles are the happiest of all commuter transportation groups (versus single person cars, carpooling, or taking public transportation). Biking or walking to work accomplishes two things at once: it cuts down on pollution, and it gives you a little exercise, which boosts your mood.

With increased interest in healthy, sustainable and economic transportation options, it’s not surprising that, from 2000 to 2013, the number of bicycle commuters in the U.S. grew by more than 62 percent, as stated by The League of American Bicyclists. Forget your vehicles for a day and take that bicycle in your garage for a spin. 


4.      World Environment Day

World Environment Day (WED) is observed on June 5 every year. It is the United Nations’ principal vehicle for encouraging worldwide awareness and action for the environment. Over the years it has grown to be a broad, global platform for public outreach that is widely celebrated by stakeholders in over 100 countries. It also serves as the “people’s day” for doing something positive for the environment, galvanizing individual actions into a collective power that generates an exponential positive impact on the planet.

Each year the United Nations come up with a different theme to focus on another important issue. This year thousands of activities were organized worldwide this year, with beach clean-ups, concerts, exhibits, film festivals, community events and much more. 

5.       Global Wind Day

Discover wind, its power and the possibilities it holds to reshape our energy systems, decarbonize our economies and boost jobs and growth. As one of the fastest growing industrial sectors in the world with almost $100 billion invested in 2014, wind energy has a lot of potential.

Global Wind Day is a worldwide event that occurs annually on June 15. The European Wind Energy Association, the Global Wind Energy Council and the national associations collaborate to introduce the general public to wind energy through a series of activities.

The American Wind EnergyAssociation recently released a study showing that over 20 million homes are currently powered by wind installations in the US.
   
If you’re interested in the US wind energy industry you should read more about the Amazon Wind FarmProject. This exciting new development in rural northeastern North Carolina is creating jobs and economic opportunities for communities that need it the most. 



6.      America Recycles Day

Keep America Beautiful and its vast network of affiliates and partners initiated America Recycles Day to connect local communities to an annual national movement on November 15. It engages millions of people by educating them about the importance of recycling and taking action to increase and improve recycling in America. It serves as a reminder that what you buy and how you use it matters!

Every November thousands of events are being organized across the country. Consumers can pledge their support for recycling and groups of all kinds can organize events to highlight the work they’re doing year-round to make recycling a top priority.

7.       International Mountain Day

International Mountain Day was established in 2003 to encourage sustainable mountain development. The UN General Assembly has designated 11 December, from 2003 onwards, as “International Mountain Day”.  Take some time out of your day to go hiking or just admire mountains in your area from a far, appreciating their beauty and meaning to the eco system. 


So while you celebrate your end of year festivities make plans and get excited for next year’s green holidays. There are so many ways to get involved and promote earth related holidays.


Did we forget any important ones? If you know of any more green holidays that you feel should be included, please comment below.



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