TODAY’S COLUMN - Earth Day – It’s no longer just one day a year

April 22nd was Earth Day, and this year was my seventh Earth Day celebration as Administrator for the Environmental Protection Agency’s Mid-Atlantic Region.  Each year I am more amazed at people’s enthusiasm and passion for taking care of our planet.

By now, everyone has heard the expression “Every Day is Earth Day” for those of us at the EPA.  However, I see that same whole-hearted commitment in many of the communities where I travel to participate in environmental events throughout the year.

In so many places, people are excited to show how they are taking action to protect the air, restore clean water, and make their communities healthy and economically viable.  That is why a one-day celebration is not enough and why I oftentimes refer to April as “Earth Month.”

Whether I am visiting schools showcasing their decorated rain barrels, helping a community enshrine a new rain garden, or recognizing an organization for food recovery and recycling achievements, I am forever inspired by children and adults who want to do more to create and sustain a healthier planet.

The grassroots organizers and supporters of the very first Earth Day in 1970 understood that protecting the Earth and its natural resources is profoundly tied to our very existence.  And nearly a half-century later, millions—perhaps billions—of people of all religions, ethnic groups, age groups and economic segments worldwide come together during Earth Month to do something of good for our planet, including raising environmental awareness. 

This worldwide support and commitment is ever more pronounced, given the urgency of a changing climate. Yes, climate change is real and it affects everyone.  The good news is that more and more people are choosing to take actions to combat its effects and to make their communities resilient to climate impacts. 

Earth Month offers us a time to reflect on how far we have come in improving our nation’s air quality, protecting and restoring rivers, lakes and streams, and creating healthy communities.

More importantly, though, Earth Month should serve as a call to action for people everywhere to make at least one change that will make a difference for people’s health and the environment.

You can start with something as simple yet beneficial as using products that carry the Safer Choice label. We all want the products we use every day to be safer.  Safer Choice is EPA’s label for cleaning, maintenance, and other products that contain the safest possible ingredients for people, pets, communities, and the environment and also meet EPA’s performance criteria.

Why not consider helping the environment by wasting less food?  Food loss and waste is the single largest component of disposed U.S. municipal solid waste, and accounts for a significant portion of U.S. methane emissions, which fuel climate change. 

Last year, EPA and the U.S. Department of Agriculture launched the United States’ first-ever national food waste reduction goal, calling for a 50-percent reduction by 2030.  Feeding people instead of landfills is an important way you can help protect people and our planet for future generations.

You need not wait until next Earth Day to make a difference.  Start today being mindful of your individual choices and responsibilities. 

Whatever you choose to do, know that becoming part of the solution will shape a better world for our children and grandchildren.  By working collectively in projects large and small, the promise of Earth Day will endure long into the future.