As the planet grows warmer each day, polar ice melts faster and sea levels rise - all of them warning signs of climate disaster.
As fellow inhabitants of this planet, each of us can lend a hand to make it a better place to live. It does not have to be anything grand - just the small things we are able to do, in the spirit of the 3R+R approach the Japanese follow to show their love for the earth.
- Reuse
- Reduce
- Recycle
- Respect - respect for the planet.
This idea alone can cut how much plastic we use, because every day an enormous number of plastic bottles are thrown away - more than 634 every single second. The pollution from that plastic contributes significantly to the world's climate crisis.
So we would like to invite everyone to care for the planet the way the Japanese do, starting with things like these:
Carry a cloth bag with you. Using a cloth bag reduces the environmental impact of plastic bags, because a cloth bag can be reused many times, is easy to carry, and can be made to look lovely too.
Carry reusable containers - a lunch box, cutlery, a water bottle, a cup. These are things we use constantly, and choosing disposable versions creates an enormous amount of waste every day.
Separate your waste before throwing it out, and rinse any contaminated containers first. Separating waste makes reuse and recycling easier, leaves less to dispose of, and so reduces the amount of rubbish in the world - while protecting the environment, reducing pollution and limiting the soil contamination that harms it.
Choose products and packaging that are biodegradable or recyclable, to reduce the waste we create each day and to keep those materials usefully in circulation instead of simply being thrown away and adding to pollution.
Let's care for the planet, for its future and for the healthy environment we all share.
