With the world dealing with the current Covid-19 pandemic mother nature is enjoying a bit of a breather. It has already been seen that the air is less polluted in traffic hogged areas like Los Angeles and China because of a drop in greenhouse gas emissions due to the drastic reduction of cars on the road. With less human pressure wildlife is enjoying the opportunity to spread out in these quiet cities and villages. The canals in Venice, normally brown and murky, appear to be clear and full of fish due to the reduction in boat traffic, which typically stirs up sediment. While some question if this is directly related to any actions taken due to Covid-19 it does make for an appropriate backdrop for this years Earth Day celebration.
April 22nd marks the 50th anniversary of Earth Day. Initiated by Gaylord Nelson the 22nd was selected back in 1970 because it fell between Spring Break and Final Exams. At that time 20 million Americans, 10% of the United States population protested environmental ignorance and demanded a new way forward for the planet. The first global effort seen was the 20th anniversary back in 1990. 200 million people in 141 countries lifted environmental issues onto the world stage. It is now recognized as the planet’s largest civic and secular event.
Earth Day efforts have led to the passage of landmark environmental laws in the United States including the Clean Air, Clean Water and Endangered Species Acts. Many countries have adopted followed and adapted similar laws. In 2016 the United Nations chose Earth Day as the day to sign the Paris Climate Agreement in force. Over 190 countries are currently engaged in the movement with over 1 billion individuals mobilized for action every Earth Day. The 50th anniversary theme is climate action. Many would argue that climate change represents the biggest challenge to the future.
“Progress has slowed, climate change impacts grow, and our adversaries have become better financed,” said Earth Day Network president Kathleen Rogers. “We find ourselves today in a world facing global threats that demand a unified global response. For Earth Day 2020, we will build a new generation of environmentalist activists, engaging millions of people worldwide.”
All of this highlights the importance of thinking and being green. Green cleaning is a process that not only incorporates “green chemical products” but also marks a change to cleaning processes. These processes are aimed to reduce waste, energy consumption and worker’s exposure to chemicals. It also includes selecting equipment that has environmental benefits and manufacturing processes that consider the carbon footprint, waste disposal and energy management.
Chemical Solutions realizes that our activities, products and processes have many impacts on the environment. A core business values is to minimize impacts and continually improve our environmental performance. Our manufacturing plant in New Zealand was the first to achieve Test Location Certification under the HSNO Act. The current office, warehouse and manufacturing plant have been designed to further minimize potential environmental risks. Our teams continually upgrade processes and systems to reduce and recycle wastewater and minimize electricity usage. Approximately 40% of all production water is from rainwater, collected on site. Our team of chemists seek to develop products that work efficiently and offer minimal risks to end users, staff and the environment. Products are based on raw materials from sustainable sources, such as surfactants derived from coconut oil and corn syrup.
To take part in the 50th Anniversary of Earth Day we want share a couple products from our Naturemade line with you. Naturemade represents a range of easy-to-use, environmentally safer products with natural ingredients to fight everyday soiling around the home and office. On Earth Day we will be giving away a package featuring:
- Naturemade Dishwash Liquid 1L
- Naturemade Multi-Clean All Purpose Cleaner 750ml
- Naturemade Window Cleaner 750ml
- Naturemade Bowl Cleaner 1L
- Naturemade Laundry Liquid 2.5L
- Naturemade Enviropaste 550g
For the details about each product check out naturemade.co.nz. To enter the giveaway all you must do is like our Facebook page, no purchase necessary. Just visit our Facebook page here and like it by 11:59pm of April 21st. We will randomly select a winner and contact you via Messenger. Entrants must be a New Zealand resident and Chemical Solutions employees and their families are not eligible to participate.
A lot of planning has been done for Earth Day’s 50th anniversary and it remains unclear what the celebration/efforts will look like due to many areas being affected by Covid-19. CSL seeks to do its part and in turn help you do yours as well.
