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Earth Day 2023

Join us in celebrating Earth Day.

Earth Day is this week, a national day observed to support our planet, held annually on 22nd April.

The first Earth Day was introduced in 1970 to flood the world with hope, optimism and action for our beautiful planet Earth.

It is now the world’s largest recruiter for the environmental movement, working with more than 150,000 partners in over 192 countries.

Why does Earth Day matter?

Our planet is currently facing a crisis that most of us know as climate change.

Human activity causes immense damage to our planet and environment.

From overpopulation to burning fossil fuels, deforestation and pollution, our activity has been linked to negative impacts across the world like rising sea levels, poor air quality and loss of habitat for wildlife.

When faced with the failings and misdoings of our entire species, it can be disheartening and discouraging to think about what we could do to help.

Earth Day serves as a reminder of the value of individual action to inform collective action and change.

As EARTHDAY.ORG say:

“Our world needs transformational change.”

“As an individual, you yield real power and influence as a consumer, a voter, and a member of a community that can unite for change.”

“Don’t underestimate your power. When your voice and your actions are united with thousands or millions of others around the world, we create a movement that is inclusive, impactful, and impossible to ignore.”

“Every Earth Day can drive a year of energy, enthusiasm, and commitment to create a new plan of action for our planet.”

How can you help save our planet?

Going green and doing your bit to save our planet is easier than you may think.

There are lots of little things you can do every day to help save our precious planet.

Ahead of this Earth Day, you can also check out this event map to see what events are taking place near you.

Save water

Conserving water is important.

According to theworldcounts.com, if we continue the way we are, freshwater will run out by 2040!

Here are a few ways that you can help save water:

  • Turn the tap off while you’re brushing your teeth and shaving
  • Have shorter showers, also turn off your shower while lathering yourself in soap
  • Take baths when possible, however, only partially fill your tub, this will use less water than even those short showers
  • Only boil the amount of water you need for your cups of tea and coffee
  • Collect rainwater for your garden by using a water butt, or another rainwater collection system (this can save up to 5,000 litres of water a year)
  • Use a watering can or regulated sprinkler system where you can, instead of a hosepipe

There are plenty more ways you can help save water, you can find a few here from Volusia.org.

Plant trees

You can give a little gift to mother nature by planting a tree in your garden, this will increase happiness as well as help the environment.

Trees and other plants are vital to Earth’s survival, so do your bit and plant trees in your garden.

Here is what your trees will do for the planet:

  • Absorb carbon dioxide and provide us with oxygen
  • Improve air quality
  • Help conserve water
  • Preserves soil
  • Helps support wildlife

“The little things that we can do to help save the environment, are the ones that make the biggest difference.”

Buy local or grow your own

Buying local produce like fruit, vegetables and meat from your local farm shop instead of your local supermarket will have a positive impact on the environment:

  • Will help reduce air pollution because of the decrease in goods being transported across long distances
  • Many local food producers grow their food organically, meaning they’ll use natural pest repellents and no chemically produced pesticides
  • Buying locally will help preserve farmland and reduce the amount of space for industrial and commercial development

Growing your own fruit and vegetables where possible will decrease air pollution even more, as you will only be walking into your garden or allotment to pick the produce. It’s as easy as pie!

Check out the RHS website for tips on growing vegetables.

You can learn more about Earth Day and how you can help on the Earth Day website.

Want to care for your environment?

Caring for our planet is important and there is much that we can do to help out. While you’re making change, we’ll look after your immediate environment: your home.

For a free quote on a range of home cleaning services from one-off deep cleans to regular visits, find your nearest Merry Maids business today or book online in select locations.

5 Recycling Tips for a Successful Global Recycling Day

Join us in celebrating global recycling day today with these useful recycling tips.

Today is Global Recycling Day, an initiative designed to recognise the importance of recycling and the benefits it has for our planet.

Now in its fourth year, Global Recycling Day was created in 2018 and aims to raise awareness of the necessity of recycling to aid against global warming and climate change.

The Global Recycling Foundation – which sponsors Global Recycling Day – has named recycling the world’s ‘Seventh Resource’ as part of its circular economy.

This invaluable resource has been found to save over 700 million tonnes in Co2 emissions each year – and is projected to rise to 1 billion by 2030.

So, how can you start recycling effectively from home? We’ve put together some helpful tips and info to help you become a #RecyclingHero.

  1. Get acquainted with your council’s system

One of the biggest hurdles to overcome when first thinking about recycling can simply be a lack of information and knowledge.

Different councils across the UK have different approaches to recycling and different guidelines to follow.

Luckily, you can dispel any confusion quickly by using this handy tool from Recycle Now to find information on your local policy and recycling facilities.

  1. Have a system of your own

Now that you know what to do with your waste come collection day – make sure you have a system in place at home.

Keep all of your recycling waste in separate boxes, bins, or bags, and be sure to flatten all cardboard so that it can fit into whatever receptacle you choose more easily.

  1. Know what you can and can’t recycle

There are some items that you might not be sure of whether or not you can recycle. For example, you can recycle some types of plastics – like shampoo or mouthwash bottles – but not others.

As a rule of thumb, most councils should accept different types of plastic, and the majority of items will include recycling information on the label.

However, if you’re still unsure of whether or not to recycle something, it’s better not to.

Especially if your council operates a system of commingled recycling – in which everyone’s recycling gets processed together – as one item can spoil a whole batch, meaning it ends up in landfill.

You can recycle:

  • Plastic: Bottles and food containers
  • Jars
  • Paper: Newspaper, envelopes, cards (without additions like glitter and beads etc.), wrapping paper
  • Cardboard: Loo rolls, boxes, drinks cartons
  • Metals: Tin cans, aerosol cans, tin foil
  1. Make the necessary preparations for some items

A lot of the plastic and other items that you’ll likely end up recycling will be food packaging.

Plastic, glass, and aluminium food containers can all be recycled – but will need rinsing beforehand to get rid of excess food waste.

This makes them less likely to become contaminated and ruin a batch and makes them easier to recycle.

When recycling items like jars and bottles, make sure you leave the lids on. This might seem counterintuitive, as lids can be made from different materials as the main body.

However, removing the lid may mean it is lost during the filtering process at the recycling plant.

Leaving the lid on means that it can be manually removed and properly sorted by an employee – ensuring it is recycled as you intended.

It also has the added benefit of keeping the jar etc, sealed so other items don’t get trapped inside of it.

With a lot of items – you may find that the recycling instructions include directions to flatten them. This can have different reasons for different items.

Primarily, it makes everything smaller and easier to transport to the recycling facility, saving fuel, money and trips – which is better for both the taxpayer and the environment.

But it can also have benefits during processing, as it also stops items like bottles and cans from rolling off the conveyer!

  1. Avoid black plastic

Black plastics are very common: approximately 1.3 billion black plastic trays are used in ready meal packaging alone in the UK every year, and can technically be recycled.

The problem is, the black carbon pigment can’t be picked up by the laser technology used in the sorting process at recycling plants.

This means that black plastic is never actually recycled, and is always sent to landfills, or incinerated.

Organisations like Greenpeace UK have crunched the numbers, and say that it would be more cost-effective for a ban on ‘problem plastics’ like black plastic altogether.

So, where you can, it’s better to opt for recyclable clear plastic and boycott black plastics entirely.

How to stay on top of your waste

Become a #RecyclingHero today by using these tips to start taking better care of our planet for Global Recycling Day.

And for further assistance on the upkeep and care of your home – including help sorting and emptying your bins – get in touch with us.

Find your nearest Merry Maids business, or book online today for a reliable, friendly, and professional domestic cleaning service.

Earth Day 2020

Earth Day is celebrated every year on April 22nd and was created to flood the world with hope, optimism and action, all around our beautiful planet Earth.

The first Earth Day was introduced back in 1970, therefore, celebrating its 50th Birthday this year, and now has over 75,000 partners working together to drive positive action.

Why does Earth day matter?

Our planet is currently facing two crises, one is the current COVID-19 pandemic and the other is climate change.

There is some good that has come out of a lot of countries being put on lockdown, here are a few of those good news stories:

  • People in India can see the Himalayas for the first time in decades, as air pollution reduces
  • China’s carbon emissions during February dropped by an estimated 25%
  • Venice’s canal water is cleaner than it has been for a long time
  • Global Carbon Dioxide output is forecast to fall by around 5%, which is the largest amount in over 70 years.

You can do your bit for Earth Day to ensure we come out of the current pandemic better than before by continuing to reduce your carbon emissions and recycling.

“Remember, this is our planet, this is our future.”

How can you help save our planet?

Going green and doing your bit to save our planet is easier than you may think. There are lots of little things you can do every day to help save our precious planet.

Save water to save the world

Conserving water is important because according to theworldcounts.com, if we continue the way we are, freshwater will run out by 2040!

Here are a few ways that you can help save water:

  • Turn the tap off while you’re brushing your teeth and shaving
  • Have shorter showers, also turn off your shower while lathering yourself in soap
  • Take baths when possible, however, only partially fill your tub, this will use less water than even those short showers
  • Only boil the amount of water you need for your cups of tea and coffee
  • Collect rainwater for your garden by using a water butt, or another rainwater collection system (this can save up to 5,000 litres of water a year)
  • Use a watering can or regulated sprinkler system where you can, instead of a hosepipe

There are plenty more ways you can help save water, you can find a few here at Volusia.org.

Plant trees to plant happiness

You can give a little gift to mother nature by planting a tree in your garden, this will increase happiness as well as helping the environment.

Trees and other plants are vital to Earth’s survival, so do your bit and plant trees in your garden.

Here is what your trees will do for the planet:

  • Absorb carbon dioxide and provide us with oxygen
  • Improve air quality
  • Help conserve water
  • Preserves soil
  • Helps support wildlife

“The little things that we can do to help save the environment, are the ones that make the biggest difference.”

Buy local or grow your own

Buying local produce like fruit, vegetables and meat from your local farm shop instead of your local supermarket will have a positive impact on the environment:

  • Will help reduce air pollution because of the decrease of goods being transported across long distances
  • Many local food producers grow their food organically, meaning they’ll use natural pest repellents and no chemically produced pesticides
  • Buying locally will help preserve farmland and reduce the amount of space for industrial and commercial development

Growing your own vegetables and fruit where possible will decrease air pollution even more. As you will only be walking into your garden or allotment to pick the produce. It’s as easy as pie, maybe an apple one!

Check out the RHS website for tips on growing your own vegetables.

 

You can learn more about Earth Day and how you can help on the Earth Day website.

“If we stand together, we can make the world a better place for all today and for those to come”