Let’s Have Earth Month Starting in 2010
Earth Day came and went quickly this year. It was fun. It generated a ton of media attention and interest all across the world.
But let’s face it–a one day celebration for honoring the planet seems too short — and a bit superficial. I am all for encouraging everyone to becoming more educated on becoming environmentally aware. However, a single day to learn about “becoming more green” will not really change people’s habits and make a significant difference in reducing ones carbon footprint.
As a marketing professional, I help many clients to implement and run loyalty/frequency promotions — and, bottom line, people are creatures of habit. Whether you are trying to quit smoking, beginning an exercise routine, or switching brands (of soap/sandwiches/gasoline/soda, etc.) — it takes 3-4 weeks of consistent behavior in order to truly change gears and learn new patterns of behavior, and develop new habits.
I propose a full Earth Month program where people practice a 30-day green behavior modification program. Plant trees, recycle, reduce paper usage, car pool, etc.
Not everyone will be successful for 30 days — but this behavior modification will have much more positive, lasting results than a one-day feel-good holiday.
Who’s in for 2010?
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Robert Piller, experienced in green marketing campaigns and environmentally-friendly promotional products. His web site includes a comprehensive eco-friendly advertising specialty search, featuring over 250,000 eco promotional items in all price ranges, for any business or organization interested in going green. The site’s handy search tool helps you easily find recyclable, biodegradable, organic or recycled imprinted promotional items in your price range and time frame. View the Go Green website at EcoMarketingSolutions.com and comment on his blog postings at GreenSpotBlog.com.
Every day should be earth day! out with plastic bag, in with cotton bags! love the blog, thanks!!
In 1970, when the first Earth Day event was held, the amount of clothes and shoes discarded in landfills topped 1.6 million tons in the US. By 2010 the amount of clothing discarded has increased five-fold to more than 8 million tons. As the Earth Day movement turns 40 years old in 2010, the strain on our planet’s resources and ecosystems is still increasing, and the need for action to protect Earth, our home in the universe, has never been greater.
My name is Butch Davenport. I work for a company that recycles textiles with the primary mission to keep usable clothes out of landfills. We reuse and resell clothing to affordably dress people both locally and around the world. We provide green sector jobs to Americans in a sustainable growth industry while providing affordable clothing to people locally and around the globe.
80% of the world’s population survives on less than $10 a day. For many secondhand clothing is all that is affordable. A pair of pants in clean, damage-free condition can be delivered to the east coast of Africa for only $0.34 a pair – and a sweater to Pakistan for only $0.12 each. This is less than the cost to mail a letter. When we collect surplus clothes and shoes in the US and ship them around the world we are in fact redistributing resources to where they are most needed.
My company U’SAgain (pronounced use-again) is planning to celebrate Earth day/Month by diverting over 5 Million pounds of clothes and shoes from landfills during the month of April. In an effort to conserve resources, fight climate change, and reduce solid waste in landfills, U’SAgain collects and reuses clothing. Together we can save our planet.
5 Million pounds of clothes and shoes reused is comparable to the following:
• Offsetting emissions from 2,900 cars in a full year
• Saving water equivalent to 171,000 swimming pools
• Avoiding the use of 1,000,000 lbs of pesticides for cotton growth
• Reducing the use of 1,500,000 lbs of fertilizer for cotton growth
By allowing these items to be reused we will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 35 million pounds.
If you have usable used clothing and want to help us reach our 5 Million Pound Earth Day/Month goal you can go to our web site at http://www.usagain.com or e-mail me at b.davenport@usagain.com and I can direct you to the closest collection box.
Thanks,
Butch