Earth Month 2023: Invest in Our Planet
“A nation that destroys its soils destroys itself. Forests are the lungs of our land, purifying the air and giving fresh strength to our people”
- Franklin D. Roosevelt
Happy Earth Month from Anthology Woods!
EARTH DAY 2023: INVEST IN OUR PLANET
Earth Day 2023 is April 22nd, a day to reflect on our impact on our home planet and a day to make change for our future. Though sustainability is on the minds of many producers and policy-makers, nearly every country in the world is behind on their Greenhouse Gas Neutrality by 2050 goals. Immediate and significant action is needed to promote a greener, lasting future.
Investing in our planet involves everyone; businesses, investors, governments and individual citizens all coming together to incentivize sustainable economic systems, green innovation and policy to tackle the climate crisis.
There are many ways to get involved in supporting a greener future for all. Sign a petition, plant a tree, donate money, volunteer your time, and purchase responsible products whenever possible. Investing in our future is necessary for our world to persist and prosper. We must make change, together.
A BRIEF HISTORY OF EARTH DAY
The first Earth Day was in 1970 and was spurred by increased awareness of environmental concerns in a tumultuous political climate. A large part of the movement arose from Rachel Carson’s New York Times bestseller, Silent Spring, published in 1962, which sold over 500,000 copies and helped raise concern over environmental degradation and the links to human health.
With the growing wave of environmentalism spreading in mainstream America, a day to inform and celebrate our planet was soon on the way. Gaylord Nelson, the Senator of Wisconsin at the time, created the idea of Earth Day after witnessing the destruction of the 1969 oil spill in Santa Barbara. His vision was to invigorate the public with a “national teach-in on the environment,” involving public speakers, discussions and demonstrations.
The first Earth Day, held in 1970, was a massive success, with an estimated 20 million Americans taking to the streets to demand a cleaner, healthier environment.
After the initial Earth Day, the US passed the Clean Air, Clean Water, and Endangered Species Acts within the same year. Since then, Earth Day has become a global phenomenon, with over 1 billion people in 192 countries taking part in activities to promote environmental awareness and action.
CELEBRATING EARTH MONTH WITH RECLAIMED WOOD
More and more species are becoming endangered, and much of this trend comes from habitat loss, deforestation, agricultural practices and environmental toxins caused by humans. Reusing and recycling materials and buying responsibly-sourced new wood are ways to reduce our impact on the land.
By intercepting material waste streams, Anthology Woods reclaims wood that has already been utilized by industries and consumers, reducing the demand and pressure for new wood. Recycling building materials and reducing preventable waste are important concepts to keep in mind when building new structures and spaces.
Architects, builders and designers have enormous power to propel green building practices in the form of net-zero, LEED and green building projects. Consciously sourcing building materials is just one of many ways to rethink our consumption of natural resources. Purchasing materials with green certifications, like Declare labels, HPDs, EPDS and FSC certificates, is a way to ensure that materials are carefully soursed, manufactured and distributed with the environment in mind.
Reclaimed and sustainably-sourced wood is a wonderful and sustainable building material that also adds deep beauty and history to a space. Learn more about sustainability at Anthology Woods here.