The push to make our planet cleaner and more sustainable has changed tenfold in just the last few years, so how can we start?
SAN DIEGO COUNTY, Calif. — On April 22, people around the world will mark the 55th anniversary of Earth Day with celebrations that can have a huge impact on our changing world. While some opt for a single celebration, others push for a sustainable shift in practices, such as small day-to-day changes that can add up to a big impact. No matter what you’re opting for, we have tips on how you can get started.
Every year, Earth Day has a theme, with this year’s being “Our Power, Our Planet,” a goal to unite around renewable energy and triple clean electricity by 2030.
And while the national theme centers around more renewable energy – a big picture idea, small day-to-day changes like cleaning up trash and reducing waste can have some of the biggest impacts on our local environment too.
Jenny Barros, Director of Marketing and Development at I Love A Clean San Diego, emphasized the visible consequences of unsustainable practices on daily life. She highlighted the importance of universal access to the city and county-provided green bins as a fundamental step in sustainability efforts.
“We can start putting our food scraps in our green bin now,” Barros said, explaining that when food waste is sent to landfills, it is compacted without sufficient oxygen, preventing biodegradation and causing it to persist for decades. She described the green bin program as “the lowest hanging fruit of sustainability,” underscoring its role in reducing landfill waste and promoting composting.
“Creek to Bay is San Diego’s largest cleanup event,” Barros added. “It’s truly powerful to see thousands of volunteers mobilized across the region. This year, we have 102 sites coming together on a single day, which brings a unique energy and sense of purpose to the event. Everyone is united by a collective mission to clean up San Diego, and we’ve found that working together in one day is incredibly effective.”
While it helps to beautify the county, it can also have a big effect on the push to reduce microplastics and their effects on humans.
“One of our primary objectives is to empower consumers with the knowledge to make environmentally healthy choices on their own, without relying on policies. We want people to understand what they can do to reduce waste at home and live more zero-waste lifestyles, so our oceans, parks, and green spaces in San Diego remain clean and healthy,” Barros said.
Join the largest Earth Week cleanup in San Diego County on Saturday, April 26, from 9 am to 12 pm! You can sign up for any of the 100 locations across the county, here: https://www.cleansd.org/
