Discussions about the environment are often quite bleak.
And rightfully so. When it comes to climate change, we are all in dire times. The need to shift the way we’re currently living is urgent, in order to protect and preserve our livelihoods and the livelihoods of those to come.
Instead of listing all of the problems in the environment, let’s highlight some of the incredible work being done around the world that’s helping to mitigate climate change.
On this 52nd Earth Day, here are 3 inspiring change makers who are challenging the status quo and fighting for our futures:
Robert Luo
Robert is the co-founder and CEO of Mi Terro, a company that creates ocean degradable and home compostable packaging materials made from agricultural byproducts and surplus foods, replacing cotton and plastic. Mi Terro started out making duffle bags out of corks and ocean plastic, and now makes t-shirts and textiles from spoiled milk. Robert is finding a way to repurpose food waste and disrupt the fashion industry.
Bertha Zúñiga
Bertha is the coordinator of the Civic Council of Popular and Indigenous Organizations of Honduras, where she is fighting to defend indigenous land. For Bertha, action on climate change can’t happen, until we act on human rights. Bertha’s activism work has been pushing for governments to set high ambitions, with an intersectional approach to make radical change while protecting our nature, our people, and our future.
Garvita Gulhati
Garvita is the founder and CEO of Why Waste, a youth led movement working towards water conservation. Why Waste’s simple solutions to save water have been implemented in over half a million restaurants in India and have prevented over 10 million liters of water from being wasted. Why Waste has also created an app that allows users to track their water footprint and provides ideas for more efficient water usage.
This year’s Earth Day theme is Invest in Our Planet—a perfect time to reflect on what we can all do to make a change. It doesn’t have to be as big as the actions of Robert, Bertha and Garvita. But, maybe there’s something smaller we can do like pledging to eliminate plastic bags, changing paper bills to electronic bills, or one of the other 50 tips provided by the Earth Day team.
The late Wangari Maathai, environmental activist and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, said it best: “It’s the little things that citizens do that will make the difference. My little thing is planting trees.”
On this Earth Day, take a moment to think about the little thing you can do to invest in our planet. Together we can save the Earth.
