Getting a Head Start on Earth Day 2024

Earth Day, annually held on April 22, is a great opportunity schools, healthcare facilities, and other places of business to reaffirm their commitment to protecting the health of our planet.

As such, The Ashkin Group founder and ISSA Sustainability Committee Co-Chair Steve Ashkin suggests getting a head start by planning your Earth Day 2024 celebrations and activities sooner rather than later.

“I am urging the entire cleaning industry to join me and start planning for Earth Day sooner this year,” said Ashkin. “This way, there is no last-minute rushing before the big day.”

According to Ashkin, a good way to begin is by focusing on this year’s theme, Planet vs. Plastics, which earthday.org selected with the following goals in mind:

• Informing the public on the harmful effects of plastic on human, animal, and ecosystem health
• Encouraging research regarding the impact of plastic waste on human health and the planet
• Phasing out single-use plastics by 2030
• Promoting a 60% reduction in the use of all plastic by 2040
• Banning plastic in “fast fashion”— inexpensive clothing made with large amounts of plastic, that’s usually worn just a few times.

According to Kathleen Rogers, earthday.org president, “[Plastic] flows in our bloodstream, adheres to our internal organs, and carries with it heavy metals known to cause cancer and disease. Once considered an amazing and useful product, plastic has become something else, and our health and that of all other living creatures hang in the balance.”

Ashkin also suggests remembering and addressing the following concerns regarding plastics when planning your Earth Day events:

• Plastic decomposes slowly, so it accumulates in the environment.
• In waterways, it can entangle and suffocate marine animals, threatening their survival.
• It emits greenhouse gasses while decomposing, contributing to climate change.

“I am so proud of the professional cleaning industry,” Ashkin added. “Over the years, it has taken bold steps to reduce its use of plastic and become much more sustainability focused. Earth Day is a good time to tell everyone about it.”