An Earth Day Challenge
Once the pandemic is behind us, let the huggers hug, let the partiers party, and let the children play. Bring back the weddings, graduations, and family reunions. Enjoy anew the company of friends and family and all the holiday rites!
As more and more of our neighbors get vaccinated, this Earth Day brings with it much to celebrate. But even as we begin to revive our social lives, will we take the lessons from COVID-19 to heart by working to incorporate our new-found appreciation of alternative ways to work, learn, and shop into a healthier future for the planet?
Future historians will likely look back at the past 12 months as a year of reckoning for our planet. When more people worked from home, traffic jams largely disappeared. With fewer cars on the road, our air was cleaner.
When the pandemic ends, will we just go back to business as usual? The heat-triggered fires of September and the ice storms of February are sobering reminders of what we and future generations can expect if we don’t make the right choices today.
This Earth Day, join us in taking the #MyPlanetMyPledge challenge with Earth Day Oregon.
- Make your pledge to a healthy planet
- Create a sign showing that pledge
- Hang that sign in your window – maybe you’ll inspire a passerby
- Snap a pic and post it on social media with the hashtag #MyPlanetMyPledge
Here’s how our team is pledging to take action this Earth Day!
Each bit of progress we make (e.g. in cleaning the air or removing toxic chemicals in children’s products that contribute to lifelong health vulnerabilities) will save tens of thousands of lives when the next pandemic hits. A Harvard study found that even small improvements in air quality, sustained over time, can reduce vulnerability to COVID-19 mortality and other respiratory illnesses.
As Earth Day turns 51 and enters its second half-century, isn’t it an apt time to redouble our commitment to the planet that sustains all of our lives?
The challenge to each of us is a simple one: choose the planet.
Businesses have a critical role in creating products that enable us to live comfortably but sustainably. From beds to buildings and from food to fashion, these five businesses are sustainable leaders in their fields. We are proud to have them as OEC’s Earth Day Oregon 2021 Business Partners.
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