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Plastic pollution on a beach in Goa, India. Hajj0 ms / CC BY-SA 3.0
India turned their hosting of this year's World Environment Day into far more than a symbolic act when it announced plans Tuesday to eliminate all single-use plastics by 2022, UN Environment reported.
The theme of this year's World Environment Day was "Beat Plastic Pollution," and India's decision could be a "game-changing" part of that effort, since it is home to 1.3 billion people and is one of the world's fastest-growing economies, head of U.N. Environment news and media Keith Weller told CBS.
<p>"This has been the biggest, most resonant World Environment Day ever, thanks to the leadership of our global host India," Head of UN Environment Erik Solheim said in the press release. "India has made a phenomenal commitment and displayed clear, decisive and global environmental leadership. This will inspire the world and ignite real change."</p><p>The announcement was officially made by Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change Dr. Harsh Vardhan, who touted it as a way to "achieve the India of our dreams."</p><p>Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi also spoke on the importance of combining economic growth with environmental action.</p><p>"It is the duty of each one of us, to ensure that the quest for material prosperity does not compromise our environment," Modi said. "The choices that we make today, will define our collective future. The choices may not be easy. But through awareness, technology, and a genuine global partnership, I am sure we can make the right choices. Let us all join together to beat plastic pollution and make this planet a better place to live."</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-twitter_embed">
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</p><p>In addition to the plastics phase-out, the country also joined UN Environment's Clean Seas campaign. India will develop action plans to combat marine litter at the national and regional level and measure the total amount of plastic pollution in the waters off of India's 7,500 kilometers (approximately 4660 miles) of coastline.<br></p><p>Plastic pollution is a major problem in India, which generates 25,000 tonnes (approximately 27557.78 U.S. tons) of plastic waste every year and only recycles 60 percent of it, Vardhan said in an IANS article reprinted by the <a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/only-india-can-help-itself-combat-plastic-pollution-united-nation/articleshow/64462077.cms" target="_blank">Economic Times</a> Tuesday. </p><p>It is also an increasingly visible problem, as plastic increasingly clutters the country's landscape and beaches. "There is a huge issue of waste management in India and everyone can see that; we went from train to Agra from Delhi and we saw. There was plastic all over the rails, that's a problem," Solheim told IANS. </p><p>India has taken some steps to counter plastic pollution already on a national and regional level. It banned non-compostable plastic bags in 2016, CBS reported. </p><p>According to a UN plastics report <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/global-plastics-report-united-nations-2575329817.html" target="_self">also launched Tuesday</a>, regional bans have had various success. Of the 10 regional bans listed in the report, two bans, in the states of Himachal Pradesh and Sikkim, have seen significant to moderate results, while four bans, including one in New Delhi have had little to no impact, and four could not be assessed due to limited data.</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-twitter_embed">
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Plastic bags pollute the Crocodile River in South Africa. JMK / GNU Free Documentation License
The theme for this year's World Environment Day, the world's largest environmental celebration which takes place June 5, is "Beat Plastic Pollution." In honor of the occasion, UN Environment released the first ever "state of plastics" report, tracking government action against plastic waste, a UN Environment press release reported.
<p>The report, titled "<a href="https://wedocs.unep.org/bitstream/handle/20.500.11822/25496/singleUsePlastic_sustainability.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y" target="_blank">Single-Use Plastics: A Roadmap for Sustainability</a>," found that more than 60 countries have introduced bans or levies on single-use plastics, and that bans and levies are one of the most effective ways to reduce the use of disposable plastic items. </p><p>"The assessment shows that action can be painless and profitable—with huge gains for people and the planet that help avert the costly downstream costs of pollution," head of UN Environment Erik Solheim said in the report's foreword. "Plastic isn't the problem. It's what we do with it."</p><p>The report summed up the extent of the plastic pollution crisis: Only 9 percent of all plastics ever produced have been recycled, while 12 percent have been incinerated and a full 79 percent have ended up in landfills, dumps, or the environment. <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/plastic-bags" target="_self">Plastic bags</a> are especially a concern and, with Styrofoam, have been the leading subject of plastic product bans. They have been found blocking waterways and worsening natural disasters, blocking sewers and providing a breeding site for disease-carrying insects, and blocking the stomachs and airways of animals like the <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/whale-death-plastic-bags-2575100966.html" target="_self">whale that died</a> in Thailand this weekend after consuming more than 80 of them. </p><p>Fifty percent of the countries that have implemented bans or levies did not have sufficient data to assess the environmental impact of the policies; of the other 50 percent, 30 percent of the bans significantly reduced the use of plastic bags within a year and 20 percent had little impact, either due to poor enforcement or lack of alternatives. </p><p>One success story was Morocco, where 421 tonnes of bags were seized after a ban and replaced almost entirely by fabrics. A failed case was Botswana, where a levy on retailers was issued but not enforced, the <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-44359614" target="_blank">BBC</a> reported. </p><p>The report also recommended that bans and levies be joined by positive measures such as improving waste management, moving towards a circular plastic production and consumption model and providing financial incentives for businesses and customers to develop and use alternative materials.</p>Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the report with Solheim in New Delhi Tuesday. <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/india" target="_self">India</a> is this year's host country for World Environment Day, which was established by the UN in 1972 and first celebrated in 1974.<p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-twitter_embed">
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Cryptic Moth Productions Inc / Flickr / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
Today, on World Environment Day 2018, the United Nations' Environment Program is urging governments, industries, communities and individuals around the world to take on a daunting but necessary task: Beat Plastic Pollution.
"Plastic pollution has become an epidemic," the agency writes. "Every year, we throw away enough plastic to circle the Earth four times. Much of that waste doesn't make it into a landfill, but instead ends up in our oceans, where it's responsible for killing one million seabirds and 100,000 marine mammals every year. For the good of the planet, it's time to rethink how we use plastic."
<p>
We couldn't agree more. Although plastic is undeniably useful, durable and affordable, the impact of this pervasive, non-biodegradable material on the environment will last for centuries. Here's what you should know about plastic—and also how you can make a positive difference.
</p><p>
<strong>1. Conventional Plastic Is Made From Fossil Fuels</strong></p><p>
The vast majority of scientists agree that the primary driver of global
<a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/climate-change/">climate change</a> is the burning of <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/fossil-fuels">fossil fuels</a>. And guess what? "Almost all plastics are made from fossil fuels, often by the same companies that produce oil and gas," Dr. David Suzuki <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/oceans-plastic-pollution-2554131906.html" target="_blank">writes</a>. The production of plastic uses <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/oceans-plastic-pollution-2554131906.html" target="_blank">around 8 percent</a> of the world's oil production.
</p><p>
Suzuki notes, "We don't have to stop using fossil fuels and producing fossil-fuel-derived plastics overnight, but we can't continue to regard the industry as the backbone of our economies and ways of life, and we must stop being so wasteful."
</p><p>
<strong>2. We've Thrown Away Most of the Plastic Ever Made</strong>
</p><p>
Since the 1950s, when plastic production started to take off, more than 9 billion tons of plastic have been generated, distributed and discarded.
<a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/plastic-pollution-2464595364.html" target="_blank">Climate News Network</a> explains, "Of that waste, only 9 percent has been recycled, 12 percent incinerated and 79 percent of what is essentially indestructible man-made material is either in landfill or polluting the environment."
</p><p>
The three ways we get rid of plastic has its own problems. When it sits in a landfill, harmful chemicals used to produce plastics
<a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/7-types-of-plastic-wreaking-havoc-on-our-health-1882198584.html">such as BPA</a> can leach into our groundwater. As for the small amount that gets incinerated, burning the plastic is a major source of air pollution and thus harmful to human health. And while recycling is always encouraged, not only is the process energy intensive, plastics (<a href="when%20plastics%20break%20down,%20they%20usually%20break%20down%20into%20molecules%20that%20can't%20be%20easily%20reshaped%20into%20plastics%20or%20other%20useful%20items%20without%20going%20through%20many%20different%20chemical%20processes.">for now</a>) are not infinitely recyclable. As <a href="https://www.sciencenews.org/article/plastic-polymer-recyclable" target="_blank">ScienceNews</a> explained, when plastics break down, they usually break down into molecules that can't be easily reshaped into plastics or other useful items without going through many different chemical processes.
</p><p>
<strong>3. Oceans Have Become a Dumping Ground for Plastic Waste</strong>
</p><p>
An
<a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/8-million-metric-tons-of-plastic-dumped-into-worlds-oceans-each-year-1882012563.html">estimated 8 million tons</a> of plastics leaches into the oceans each year. The material can be found in the <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/plastic-bag-mariana-trench-2567907997.html">deepest ocean trenches</a> or circulating around and around the world's <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/5-gyres-of-plastic-trash-pollutes-the-worlds-oceans-1881896559.html">five gyres</a>, where it can potentially entangle, choke or kill aquatic life.
</p><p>
Ocean plastic is a minefield for marine creatures, affecting everything from
<a href="http://ecowatch.com/2015/07/09/plankton-eat-ocean-plastic/" target="_blank">microscopic plankton</a> to <a href="http://ecowatch.com/2015/08/14/whale-choke-plastic/" target="_blank">giant whales</a>. One <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/ocean-plastic-will-be-found-in-99-percent-of-seabirds-by-2050-1882094531.html">study</a> estimated that the debris can be found in the majority of all species of seabirds. Another <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/there-will-be-more-plastic-than-fish-in-the-ocean-by-2050-1882154887.html" target="_blank">study</a> found that if we continue to consume plastics in a business-as-usual scenario, the ocean is expected to contain one ton of plastic for every three tons of fish by 2025, and by 2050, more plastics than fish by weight. Of course, the <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/plastic-bali-manta-point-diver-2543541335.html" target="_blank">proliferation</a> of plastic and <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/microplastics" target="_blank">microplastics</a> has prompted <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/plastic-consumption-food-dust-2556502607.html">concerns</a> that they might work their way up the food chain to us.
</p><p>
<strong>4. Governments and Businesses Are Waking Up to the Planet's Plastic Scourge </strong>
</p><p>
Here's some good news. It seems like every month, a new
<a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/alaska-airlines-plastic-straws-2571032415.html">business</a>, <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/san-francisco-plastic-straw-ban-2569049425.html">municipality</a>, <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/chile-plastic-ban-2573881713.html">country</a>, and even an <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/eu-ban-single-use-plastic-2538546402.html">entire continent</a> are taking action against single-use plastics. These entities have introduced or have <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/kenya-plastic-bag-ban-2478631203.html">already enforced</a> bans on items such plastic drinking straws, stirrers, grocery bags, bottles, plastic-lined coffee cups, takeaway foam containers and even non-biodegradable <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/wet-wipes-ban-uk-2566716761.html">wet wipes</a>.
</p><p>
<a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/eu-plastics-ban-2573215290.html">Last week</a>, the European Union's executive arm <a href="http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-18-3927_en.htm" target="_blank">proposed</a> banning the 10 most common single-use plastic products as well as lost and abandoned <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/fishing" target="_blank">fishing gear</a>.
</p><p>
"Plastic waste is undeniably a big issue and Europeans need to act together to tackle this problem, because plastic waste ends up in our air, our soil, our oceans, and in our food," said EU Commission Vice President Frans Timmermans in a statement.
</p><p>
<strong><span></span>5. You Can Be a Part of the Solution </strong>
</p><p>
The United Nations puts it this way: "If you can't reuse it, refuse it." For instance, say no to plastic straws at restaurants and bars. Or, you can bring your own
<a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/eco-friendly-drinking-straw-alternatives-2571689759.html">eco-friendly alternative</a>.
</p><p>
You can also volunteer at a beach cleanup, pressure your local lawmakers and government to take action, and spread the word to your friends and family. The UN recently launched it
<a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/beat-plastic-pollution-2573622594.html" target="_blank">#BeatPlasticPollution challenge</a> to encourage people to give up single-use plastics. Participants are asked to announce their commitment on social media and tag their friends to help spread the message within 24 hours.
</p><p>
Former California Governor and staunch environmentalist
<a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/arnold-schwarzenegger" target="_blank">Arnold Schwarzenegger</a> participated in the challenge. In his video, he pledged to "terminate" plastic spoons in his house and replace them with metal spoons.
</p><p>
"We all have to work very hard to make this a healthy environment, a great environment, and to save our oceans and save the planet," he said.
</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-twitter_embed">
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A pilot whale died in southern Thailand last week after swallowing 17 pounds of plastic waste, despite a five-day effort to save the animal's life.
A necropsy revealed that the plastic debris, which included 80 plastic bags, clogged the whale's stomach, Reuters reported.
<p>
The whale was found in critical condition in a canal near Thailand's border with Malaysia on May 28. Photos posted on Thai Whales'
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/thaiwhales/" target="_blank">Facebook page</a> show a group of people tending to the whale and trying to keep it afloat.
</p><p>
<a href="http://www.dmcr.go.th/detailAll/23503/nws/11" target="_blank">According</a> to Thailand's Department of Marine and Coastal Resources, the whale vomited five plastic bags on Friday and eventually died that afternoon.
</p><p>
"This plastic rubbish made the whale sick and unable to hunt for food," the department said on its website.
</p><p>
<span></span>Grisly photos on the marine department's <a href="https://www.facebook.com/DMCRTH" target="_blank">Facebook page</a> show dozens of black plastic bags exhumed from the whale.
</p><p>
"Ask your heart to see if you're still going to dump the trash," the post stated.
</p><div class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="4acfea115b217f5e3e3b57b5b9971de6"><div class="fb-post" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/DMCRTH/posts/1667800893267401"></div></div><p>
Jatuporn Buruspat, head of the department, told Reuters the whale probably mistook the floating plastic bags for food.
</p><p>
Around the world, an estimated
<a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/8-million-metric-tons-of-plastic-dumped-into-worlds-oceans-each-year-1882012563.html">8 million metric tons</a> of plastic waste gets dumped in our <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/oceans">oceans</a> every year. A 2015 study <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/these-5-countries-account-for-60-of-plastic-pollution-in-oceans-1882107531.html" target="_blank">found</a> that 60 percent of the world's plastic waste comes from just five countries: China, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam.
</p><p>
Thon Thamrongnawasawat, a marine biologist and lecturer at Kasetsart University, told
<a href="https://www.afp.com/en/news/206/whale-dies-thailand-after-swallowing-80-plastic-bags-doc-15k0gs2" target="_blank">AFP</a> that about 300 <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/marine-life">marine animals</a> including pilot whales, sea turtles and dolphins die each year in Thailand after ingesting plastic.
</p><p>
"It's a huge problem," he said. "We use a lot of plastic."
</p><p>
"If you have 80 plastic bags in your stomach, you die," Thamrongnawasawat added.
</p><p>
<span></span>The pilot whale's death is another grim reminder of the harmful impact of ocean pollution. <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/sperm-whale-plastic-death-2558644554.html" target="_blank">In April</a>, a 6-ton, 33-foot-long juvenile sperm whale was found dead in southern Spain. A necropsy reveled it ingested 64 pounds of mostly plastic garbage.
</p><p>
Folks around the world expressed sadness about the latest man-made tragedy.
</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-twitter_embed">
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</p><p>
"Many in the region and around the world are extremely concerned about such incidents," Suresh Valiyaveettil, an expert in polymer chemistry at the National University of Singapore, told the
<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/04/world/asia/thailand-whale-plastics-pollution.html" target="_blank">New York Times</a> in an email. "Considering the amount of plastic in the ocean, unfortunately, such incidents are going to be more common in the near future."
</p><p>
<span></span>Tomorrow will mark the United Nations' World Environment Day, which centers around the theme of
<a href="http://worldenvironmentday.global/en/news-category/beat-plastic-pollution">beating plastic pollution</a>.
</p><p>
On Monday in Vietnam, 41 embassies and international organizations signed a Code of Conduct on Combating Plastic Pollution.
</p><p>
According to
<a href="http://vietnamnews.vn/environment/449249/international-partners-join-viet-nam-to-combat-plastic-pollution.html#FITiz2hfFi4FoYGt.97">Vietnam News</a>, signatories include Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, the European Union, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Slovakia, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, the UK and the U.S. as well as 16 UN agencies, funds, program, offices and the World Bank.
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Arnold Schwarzenegger pledges to terminate plastic spoons at home. @schwarzenegger / Twitter
In one of the coolest social media campaigns since the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, the United Nations launched a global challenge to #BeatPlasticPollution, the theme of World Environment Day on June 5.
The movement encourages you to give up single-use plastics and replace them with reusable and sustainable alternatives. Participants are asked to announce their commitment on social media and tag their friends to help spread the message within 24 hours.
<p>
A growing number of celebrities and environmentalists are taking part in the challenge, including actor
<a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/adrian-grenier">Adrian Grenier</a>, who has vigorously campaigned against <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/plastic-straws">plastic straws</a> as co-founder of <a href="https://www.lonelywhale.org/" target="_blank">Lonely Whale</a>. </p><p>
<span></span>"We use 500 million of these suckers every single day in the U.S. alone," the UN Environment Goodwill Ambassador said in his video. "The good news is that people and businesses are making the switch. And it's so easy, all you have to do is switch to an <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/eco-friendly-drinking-straw-alternatives-2571689759.html">environmentally friendly alternative</a>."
</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-twitter_embed">
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<em>Star Trek Into Darkness</em> actress Alice Eve, who gave up plastic tampon applicators for biodegradable alternatives, said in her post: "Plastic is very bad, it never goes away. A little fish eats it, and then a bigger fish eats it, and then we eat it, and it goes into us. <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/there-will-be-more-plastic-than-fish-in-the-ocean-by-2050-1882154887.html">By 2050</a>, there will be more plastic in the sea than fish."
</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-twitter_embed">
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</p><p>
In his video, former California Governor and staunch environmentalist
<a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/arnold-schwarzenegger">Arnold Schwarzenegger</a> pledged to terminate plastic spoons in dramatic fashion.
</p><p>
"We all have to work very hard to make this a healthy environment, a great environment, and to save our oceans and save the planet," he said.
</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-twitter_embed">
<iframe width="100%" height="150" scrolling="no" class="rm-shortcode twitter-embed-1001828601224810496" id="twitter-embed-1001828601224810496" type="lazy-iframe" data-runner-src="/res/community/twitter_embed/?iframe_id=twitter-embed-1001828601224810496&created_ts=1527689526.0&screen_name=Schwarzenegger&text=Thank+you+%40PEspinosaC+for+tagging+me+in.+We+have+already+terminated+the+plastic+bags%2C+so+to+%23BeatPlasticPollution%2C%E2%80%A6+https%3A%2F%2Ft.co%2FjMK2VnGrS8&id=1001828601224810496&name=Arnold" frameborder="0" data-rm-shortcode-id="13Z2IZ1576661784"></iframe>
</p><p><em>Babe</em> actor and activist <a href="https://twitter.com/jamesocromwell/status/1001267474413764608" target="_blank">James Cromwell</a> noted that a million fossil fuel-based <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/bottled-water">plastic bottles</a> are sold around the world every minute. <br></p><p>"Our Earth is in crisis because human activity is destroying the environment. We're addicted to fossil fuels," Cromwell said, adding that we are responsible for the planet's survival. </p><p>He cleverly tagged EPA head <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/scott-pruitt">Scott Pruitt</a>, former <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/exxon">ExxonMobil</a> boss Rex Tillerson and Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin in his video. "Come on boys, pony up. Do the right thing." </p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-twitter_embed">
<iframe width="100%" height="150" scrolling="no" class="rm-shortcode twitter-embed-1001267474413764608" id="twitter-embed-1001267474413764608" type="lazy-iframe" data-runner-src="/res/community/twitter_embed/?iframe_id=twitter-embed-1001267474413764608&created_ts=1527555743.0&screen_name=jamesocromwell&text=TAG-I%27m+it%21+Thanks+for+tagging+me+Leo+%40BsweetRT++%26amp%3B+thank+you+4+the+challenge+%40UNEnvironment+%26amp%3B+%40footagefilmsinc+-+I%E2%80%99%E2%80%A6+https%3A%2F%2Ft.co%2FNsqTSHsjj6&id=1001267474413764608&name=James+Cromwell+%F0%9F%90%B7" frameborder="0" data-rm-shortcode-id="DRRSWB1576661784"></iframe>
</p><p>Other high-profile participants enthusiastically pledged against using single-use items such as plastic bottles, supermarket bags and drink stirrers, including musician <a href="https://twitter.com/thelittleidiot/status/1001613519765233664" target="_blank">Moby</a>, comedian <a href="https://twitter.com/TheRealDratch/status/1001846247152644098" target="_blank">Rachel Dratch</a>, <em>Harry Potter</em> actor <a href="https://twitter.com/TomFelton/status/1001095403868221440" target="_blank">Tom Felton</a>, Flint activist <a href="https://twitter.com/LittleMissFlint/status/999636666661965824" target="_blank">Mari Copeny</a>, extreme swimmer <a href="https://twitter.com/LewisPugh/status/1001469685886586880" target="_blank">Lewis Pugh</a>, United Nations environment program director <a href="https://twitter.com/ErikSolheim/status/1001124975137320960" target="_blank">Erik Solheim</a> and UN Climate Change executive secretary <a href="https://twitter.com/PEspinosaC/status/1001372666480218114" target="_blank">Patricia Espinosa</a>.</p><p><span></span>To take part in the challenge, share a selfie or video on social media about the disposable plastic product you'll be giving up. You then "tag" three friends, businesses or high-profile people to challenge them to do the same within 24 hours. Remember to include the #BeatPlasticPollution hashtag and mention @UNEnvironment.
</p><p>
There a numerous ways to take part in this year's World Environment Day. UN Environment is calling on citizens, companies and civil society groups around the world to
<a href="http://worldenvironmentday.global/en/register-event" target="_blank">organize cleanups</a> and has offered a <a href="http://worldenvironmentday.global/en/get-involved/toolkits#event-kits" target="_blank">toolkit</a> and lesson plans on how to beat plastic pollution.
</p><p>
From June 2-4, at the inaugural <a href="https://www.oceanheroes.blue/" target="_blank">Ocean Heroes Bootcamp</a> in New Orleans, kids ages 11-18 will work together to come up with solutions to fight plastic in their own communities. Their plans will be shared with world leaders at the upcoming <a href="https://g7.gc.ca/en/" target="_blank">G7 Summit</a> in Canada. Although signups for the bootcamp are closed, those interested can <a href="https://www.oceanheroes.blue/online/" target="_blank">participate online</a>.
</p><p>
"Our oceans supply up to 70 percent of earth's oxygen. If they die, so does everything and everyone that needs oxygen," said Nickelodeon star and bootcamp participant Aidan Gallagher, the youngest ever UN Environment Goodwill Ambassador. "Protecting our oceans' health should be our top priority."
</p>
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Today is the United Nation's World Environment Day, which encourages worldwide awareness and action for the protection of our environment. It began in 1972 and is widely celebrated in more than 100 countries.
This year's theme—connect people to nature—encourages people to go outside and "breathe in the beauty and remember that by keeping our planet healthy, we keep ourselves healthy too."
<p>Here are 10 <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23WorldEnvironmentDay&src=typd" target="_blank">#WorldEnvironmentDay</a> tweets worth reading in celebration of this important day:</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-twitter_embed"><iframe width="100%" height="150" scrolling="no" class="rm-shortcode twitter-embed-867033174551015426" id="twitter-embed-867033174551015426" type="lazy-iframe" data-runner-src="/res/community/twitter_embed/?iframe_id=twitter-embed-867033174551015426&created_ts=1495551792.0&screen_name=UNEP&text=Join+%40jackjohnson+%26amp%3B+spend+time+in+a+place+that+matters+to+you+for+%23WorldEnvironmentDay%21+Tell+us+how+you%27ll+celebrat%E2%80%A6+https%3A%2F%2Ft.co%2FmjwkoMPsib&id=867033174551015426&name=UN+Environment" frameborder="0" data-rm-shortcode-id="W7RFXS1496673584"></iframe></p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-twitter_embed"><iframe width="100%" height="150" scrolling="no" class="rm-shortcode twitter-embed-871686853644222464" id="twitter-embed-871686853644222464" type="lazy-iframe" data-runner-src="/res/community/twitter_embed/?iframe_id=twitter-embed-871686853644222464&created_ts=1496661315.0&screen_name=Greenpeace&text=Happy+%23WorldEnvironmentDay+everyone%21+%F0%9F%8C%B3++%F0%9F%8C%BF++%F0%9F%8C%8D+https%3A%2F%2Ft.co%2FfAxzj5yFBr&id=871686853644222464&name=Greenpeace" frameborder="0" data-rm-shortcode-id="D7L9R41496673584"></iframe></p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-twitter_embed"><iframe width="100%" height="150" scrolling="no" class="rm-shortcode twitter-embed-871624831678029824" id="twitter-embed-871624831678029824" type="lazy-iframe" data-runner-src="/res/community/twitter_embed/?iframe_id=twitter-embed-871624831678029824&created_ts=1496646528.0&screen_name=ajit_ranade&text=on+%23WorldEnvironmentDay+always+a+good+reminder.+Eco+vs+Ego+%3A%29+https%3A%2F%2Ft.co%2FYcS6bo9ZPQ&id=871624831678029824&name=Ajit+Ranade" frameborder="0" data-rm-shortcode-id="YUWR9J1496673584"></iframe></p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-twitter_embed"><iframe width="100%" height="150" scrolling="no" class="rm-shortcode twitter-embed-871638538105704448" id="twitter-embed-871638538105704448" type="lazy-iframe" data-runner-src="/res/community/twitter_embed/?iframe_id=twitter-embed-871638538105704448&created_ts=1496649796.0&screen_name=RAPMON_PH&text=%7B+%F0%9F%8C%8F+%7D+%23WorldEnvironmentDay+should+not+only+be+today%2C+but+everyday.+Let+us+all+be+open-minded+and+loving+towards+our%E2%80%A6+https%3A%2F%2Ft.co%2FDyCMavSMEw&id=871638538105704448&name=RAP+MONSTER+PHIL." frameborder="0" data-rm-shortcode-id="KA90DV1496673584"></iframe></p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-twitter_embed"><iframe width="100%" height="150" scrolling="no" class="rm-shortcode twitter-embed-871574972040269825" id="twitter-embed-871574972040269825" type="lazy-iframe" data-runner-src="/res/community/twitter_embed/?iframe_id=twitter-embed-871574972040269825&created_ts=1496634641.0&screen_name=SwamiGeetika&text=We%27re+here+to+dream+together%2C+to+work+together%2C+to+protect+our+planet+together.+%0A%0A%23WorldEnvironmentDay%E2%80%A6+https%3A%2F%2Ft.co%2FG4o19aHENb&id=871574972040269825&name=Geetika+Swami" frameborder="0" data-rm-shortcode-id="0U8NUW1496673585"></iframe></p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-twitter_embed"><iframe width="100%" height="150" scrolling="no" class="rm-shortcode twitter-embed-871587024410517506" id="twitter-embed-871587024410517506" type="lazy-iframe" data-runner-src="/res/community/twitter_embed/?iframe_id=twitter-embed-871587024410517506&created_ts=1496637514.0&screen_name=rishibagree&text=Both+Humans+and+Nature+can+co+exists+...+%0AIt+Just+requires+little+creativity+from+us+%23WorldEnvironmentDay+https%3A%2F%2Ft.co%2FyQLLSTZ1il&id=871587024410517506&name=Rishi+Bagree+%F0%9F%87%AE%F0%9F%87%B3" frameborder="0" data-rm-shortcode-id="MZKDOC1496673585"></iframe></p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-twitter_embed"><iframe width="100%" height="150" scrolling="no" class="rm-shortcode twitter-embed-871647916561182720" id="twitter-embed-871647916561182720" type="lazy-iframe" data-runner-src="/res/community/twitter_embed/?iframe_id=twitter-embed-871647916561182720&created_ts=1496652032.0&screen_name=WHO&text=Today+is+%23WorldEnvironmentDay.%0AHere%27s+what+you+can+do%3A+Prioritize+walking%2C+cycling+%26amp%3B+public+transport%E2%80%A6+https%3A%2F%2Ft.co%2FpoSMdYF1wU&id=871647916561182720&name=WHO" frameborder="0" data-rm-shortcode-id="CCHVMI1496673585"></iframe></p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-twitter_embed"><iframe width="100%" height="150" scrolling="no" class="rm-shortcode twitter-embed-871680091746467840" id="twitter-embed-871680091746467840" type="lazy-iframe" data-runner-src="/res/community/twitter_embed/?iframe_id=twitter-embed-871680091746467840&created_ts=1496659703.0&screen_name=wasimak219&text=Today+is+World+Environment+Day.+Let%27s+pledge+to+plant+trees+and+save+our+earth+%F0%9F%8C%8F+and+plant+%F0%9F%8C%B1+%23WorldEnvironmentDay+%21%E2%80%A6+https%3A%2F%2Ft.co%2FLJe5MSqugh&id=871680091746467840&name=Wasim+Akhtar" frameborder="0" data-rm-shortcode-id="NLVBED1496673585"></iframe></p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-twitter_embed"><iframe width="100%" height="150" scrolling="no" class="rm-shortcode twitter-embed-871673295325732865" id="twitter-embed-871673295325732865" type="lazy-iframe" data-runner-src="/res/community/twitter_embed/?iframe_id=twitter-embed-871673295325732865&created_ts=1496658083.0&screen_name=OnuragMishra&text=%27The+human+spirit+needs+places+where+nature+has+not+been+rearranged+by+the+hands+of+man%27%0A%23WorldEnvironmentDay+https%3A%2F%2Ft.co%2FhYwleQCYSr&id=871673295325732865&name=Anurag+Mishra" frameborder="0" data-rm-shortcode-id="IH27DX1496673585"></iframe></p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-twitter_embed"><iframe width="100%" height="150" scrolling="no" class="rm-shortcode twitter-embed-871636799835254784" id="twitter-embed-871636799835254784" type="lazy-iframe" data-runner-src="/res/community/twitter_embed/?iframe_id=twitter-embed-871636799835254784&created_ts=1496649381.0&screen_name=UNEP&text=Nothing%27s+better+than+a+day+out+%23withnature+.+Picture+the+places+that+matter+to+you+today%21+https%3A%2F%2Ft.co%2Fg8mJ0t4Xpv%E2%80%A6+https%3A%2F%2Ft.co%2F37XtyCJRKO&id=871636799835254784&name=UN+Environment" frameborder="0" data-rm-shortcode-id="9TQ0RK1496673585"></iframe></p><p>And, thanks to <a href="https://foodtank.com/news/2017/06/world-environment-day/" target="_blank">Food Tank</a> for highlighting these 10 World Environment Day <a href="https://unep.bsd.net/page/event/search_simple" target="_blank">events</a> and initiatives taking place around the world to promote environmental wellness:</p><p><strong>1. Celebrating biodiversity with Haikus (New York, USA)</strong></p><p>The U.N. Development Program (UNDP) has compiled a collection of 82 haiku poems that celebrate the diversity of life on Earth. Haiku is a traditional form of Japanese poetry that takes nature as its focus, centered around a moment in daily life. Contributed by more than 60 friends, family, and colleagues from UNDP and partners, the publication will be presented at UNDP offices on WED. The publication is also available for free download at the <a target="_blank" href="http://www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/librarypage/environment-energy/ecosystems_and_biodiversity/inspired-by-nature--celebrating-biodiversity-with-haikus.html">UNDP website</a>.</p><p><strong>2. Exhibition: "Butterflies in Aragon" (Zaragoza, Spain) </strong></p><p><a target="_blank" href="https://unep.bsd.net/page/event/detail/worldenvironmentday2017/wrst">This exhibition</a> highlights both the beauty of butterfly and moth species found in Aragon, Spain, and the increasing risks that these species and other pollinators currently face. Highlighting the vulnerability of numerous species to the effects of climate change, the exhibition informs visitors of citizen and science efforts to contribute to their conservation.</p><p><strong>3. Explore your habitat (worldwide)</strong></p><p>U.N. Environment and iNaturalist have partnered to help build the <a target="_blank" href="http://www.worldenvironmentday.global/en/how-celebrate/explore-nature-you-love-worldenvironmentday">world's largest nature database</a>. They're asking people to get out this WED and record the wonders of biodiversity in their own backyards, to help discover and keep track of precious plants and wildlife. By downloading the iNaturalist app, people can upload their observations to share with the iNaturalist community to help catalogue biological diversity.</p><p><strong>4. Free national park visits (Canada)</strong></p><p>As host country for this year's WED and as part of the country's 150th Anniversary celebrations, the Canadian government is <a target="_blank" href="http://www.worldenvironmentday.global/en/about/canada-natural-heritage-heart-national-identity">offering free entry to its national parks</a>, migratory bird sanctuaries, and marine conservation areas. People can also learn about local conservation initiatives and the Ecological Gifts Program, which allows Canadians with ecologically sensitive land to protect nature.</p><p><strong>5. King's Cross World Environment Day Event (London, United Kingdom)</strong></p><p><a target="_blank" href="https://www.kingscross.co.uk/event/world-environment-day-2017">A range of activities </a>are taking place for WED at Pancras Square in Kings Cross, London. London Wildlife Trust will be giving tours of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.kingscross.co.uk/camley-street-natural-park">Camley Street Natural Park</a>. The University of the Arts London has developed the <a target="_blank" href="http://deeptimewalk.org/">Deep Time Walk app</a>, taking participants on a 4.6km journey of the Earth's history where each meter represents 1 million years. Tours of Two Pancras Square, one of the U.K.'s most environmentally friendly office buildings, are also available for those interested in sustainable design.</p><p><strong>6. Litterati – A Global Cleanup (worldwide)</strong></p><p>The <a target="_blank" href="https://unep.bsd.net/page/event/detail/worldenvironmentday2017/wbl">Litterati</a> is a global community striving to eradicate litter one piece at a time. By downloading an app, users can identify, collect, and geotag the world's litter, tracking their impact and helping to identify which brands and products are found in specific locations. The Litterati community has mapped and picked up 250,000-plus pieces in 100-plus countries, adding about 5,000 pieces each week.</p><p><strong>7. Screening: Racing Extinction (Texas, USA)</strong></p><p>To celebrate WED, a <a target="_blank" href="https://unep.bsd.net/page/event/detail/worldenvironmentday2017/w9l">free-to-the-public film screening</a> of <a target="_blank" href="http://racingextinction.com/">Racing Extinction</a> is being held at Gilruth Conference Center, Houston, Texas. In Racing Extinction, Oscar-winner Louie Psihoyos assembles a team of artists and activists intent on showing the world never-before-seen images that expose issues of endangered species and mass extinction. Stacy Shutts, Lead for Sustainability at the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nasa.gov/centers/johnson/home/index.html">Johnson Space Center</a>, and Lisa Lin with Rice University will participate in a panel discussion following the film.</p><p><strong>8. Web Art Garden (worldwide)</strong></p><p><a target="_blank" href="https://unep.bsd.net/page/event/detail/worldenvironmentday2017/wrr8">Web Art Garden </a>is an international network of people interested in art, culture, and environmental issues who share experiences from their own ecology through artistic activity. This may include performance, dance, singing, writing, lecture, meditation, and more. Events will be created throughout the world on World Environment Day and shared through the <a target="_blank" href="http://worldenvironmentday.global/how-celebrate/picture-all-places-matter">UNEP photo album</a>.</p><p><strong>9. World Environment Day Festival (Sunshine Coast, Australia)</strong></p><p> Established in 1979 by the Sunshine Coast Environment Council (SCEC), the <a target="_blank" href="http://www.wed.org.au/">WorldEnvironment Day Festival</a> in Queensland, Australia, hosts a range of activities to inspire an ecologically responsible lifestyle and connect the community. The festival has grown into the region's biggest environmental event with workshops, art installations, food stalls, and more than forty environment and community groups to connect with and learn from.</p><p><strong> 10. YogiWalkie (Fégréac, France)</strong></p><p>The <a target="_blank" href="https://unep.bsd.net/page/event/detail/worldenvironmentday2017/4jr7b">YogiWalkie </a>is a two-hour hike that combines the techniques of yoga with sensory immersion in nature. Held on June 7, the course weaves through rich forest, waterways, and marshes, highlighting the region's flora and fauna. Emphasizing local biodiversity, the YogieWalkie aims to promote conservation efforts in the region.</p>
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