Think. Eat. Save. – World Environment Day on June 5

The celebration of World Environment Day happens on June 5 every year, and is a primary means for the UN to arouse environmental awareness worldwide, as well as develop political responsiveness and call to action. This day is commemorated by different countries worldwide in a variety of ways including parades and street parties, clean-up campaigns, tree planting, and others. For a lot of countries, the yearly event aims to urge people to find ways and means to improve the environment.

History

In 1972, the United Nations General Assembly established World Environment Day for the “Stockholm Conference on the Human Environment” opening. Along with this was another resolution that the General Assembly adopted, which was the beginning of the UNEP. Each year, various cities host the event and celebrate throughout the week leading to June 5.

This year’s theme

This year’s theme for World Environment Day is “Think. Eat. Save.” The theme focuses on food wastage and encourages reduction of foodprint. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization or FAO reports that yearly, there is a wastage of 1.3 billion tons of food. While this is happening, millions and millions of people are going hungry, and thousands of children die from starvation daily.

Because of this significant disparity of lifestyles and its devastating environmental consequences, the theme pushes us to have a keener awareness of the impact that food choices we make have on the environment. This awareness will certainly assist us in making informed decisions as to what we eat. As the world continues to struggle in providing 7 billion of its population with sufficient resources for its sustenance, it is estimated that about a third of the world’s food production goes to waste. This wastage causes a huge negative impact on the environment.

One way of making wise decisions on our part would be to choose the types of food that do not pose a threat to the environment, like organic foods with no chemicals added. Making a decision to buy food locally is also a way to contribute to the solution of environmental problems as the food does not have to travel from one country to another, limiting the problem of emissions.

Do our part

We are all living in this planet and we must try to do whatever we can to save our environment and prepare it for generations to come. Whatever means we can offer to help will be a benefit to us all. By thinking about what we eat and choosing to fight against wastage of food, we are able to save the environment and make the world a better place to live in.

Photo Credit: UNEP World Environment Day Logo