World Environment Day 2023: a few simple tips for defending the planet

As every year, June 5th is celebrated as World Environment Day, the day dedicated to raising awareness on environmental issues. Now in its 50th edition, the 2023 edition will be hosted in Côte d'Ivoire in partnership with the Netherlands and will have the official hashtag #BeatPlasticPollution: how can each of us contribute in our daily lives?

World Environment Day 2023: success starts with us!

Plastic is a very delicate issue that scientists and environmentalists have been fighting for years, launching awareness campaigns and disseminating dramatic images from beaches, seas, oceans, seabeds and coral reefs on the edge of survival.

It is undeniable that plastic is now part of our daily lives: between products and wrappings, our habits revolve so frequently around this material that we hardly notice it.

Yet change is possible, starting from small actions that each of us can take and include into our own habits, which become an important part of a global project under the motto of “It's the little details that are vital. Little things make big things happen" (John Wooden).

So what can we do in practice to win the fight against plastic pollution? Here are 5 tips!

1) #BeatPlasticPollution: prefer thermal water bottles

Do you regularly drink mineral water throughout the day? Then a conscious choice to reduce the use of plastic is to prefer thermal bottles made of stainless steel or aluminum, saying goodbye to plastic bottles forever. You can fill your bottle as many times as you want and wash it comfortably by hand or in the dishwasher.

2) Choose water and drinks in glass bottles

Although more convenient to buy, plastic bottles contribute to the serious problem of plastic, a material that is difficult to dispose of. It is the responsibility of each of us to initiate corrective solutions in our daily lives, starting with the use of glass bottles.

3) Equip offices with water dispensers

Although many offices are already equipped with them, not all have made water dispensers available to employees. These are columns connected to the water network, also suitable for home use, which provide purified and microfiltered water acting as an inexhaustible source of good water to drink at km 0!

4) Opt for packages made of compostable or natural material

From yogurts to ready-to-eat food trays and snack boxes, more and more producers in the Ho.Re.Ca. sector are turning to packaging made with natural or compostable packaging. A change that has required companies to invest a lot, and to which all of us can respond by giving our preference in view of a more sustainable and eco-friendly consumption.

5) Avoid single-use plastic items

In addition to the infamous water bottles, why resort to plastic bags, cups, plates, cutlery and straws when the market today offers reusable and zero-impact alternative solutions? From paper to steel to aluminum, for our needs it is now possible to choose between various green options that result in a clear reduction in costs and disposal processes, as well as a considerable reduction of the risk of finding all these items on a sunny beach during the summer holidays.

So how do you plan to contribute to World Environment Day 2023? Share your opinion with the Healthy Italia community on Facebook and Instagram.