May 27, 2023
CM Content Team
World Environment Day 2023
World Environment Day is a global event that is held annually on June 5 and is led by the United National Emergency Programme (UNEP). The event, which has been held since 1973 is the largest global platform to create public awareness about the ill effects of our actions on the environment.
This annual event unites millions of people worldwide and engages them to make a conscious effort towards protecting mother nature and reducing pollution and its harmful effects on people and other living beings. The World Environment Day 2023 marks the 50th anniversary of the event, and to celebrate this, more than 150 nations have confirmed their participation and pledged several actions to create a more sustainable world.
Every year, since its inception, World Environment Day focuses on specific issues affecting the world, the challenges and finding solutions to end the problem. The UNEP has a specific theme every year for this global event. For example, last year, in 2022, the theme was ‘living in harmony sustainably with nature #OnlyOneEarth.’
The theme for World Environment Day 2023 is ‘finding solutions to plastic pollution under the campaign #BeatPlasticPollution.’ Many environmentalists, and social scientists worldwide believe it was about time that the UN addressed the issue of plastic and the theme for the World Environment Day in 2023 is apt to address the various challenges it poses.
Plastic, especially single-use plastic, is one of largest contributors to environmental pollution worldwide. Although it has already caused irreparable damage to earth, experts believe there is still time and massive scope to protect the earth from the vicious clutches of plastic through collaborative approach and efforts.
To put things into perspective, here is how plastic is damaging the environment
The above numbers are gut-wrenching to say the least. With plastic-related problems on the rise and becoming serious each day, there is a global calling and pressing need to end the use of plastic and plastic products. There is also an immediate requirement of a cohesive action by individuals and organisations worldwide to find alternative solutions for plastic and use more environmentally friendly products.
Here are some of the earth friendly products that you can start using immediately to replace the plastic in your home and contribute to environment conservation.
When you travel, you may buy several plastic water bottles to quench your thirst. But do you know? The plastic water bottles are one of the largest contributors to land and marine pollution. These one-time-use products fill up the landfills and eventually make their way into the ocean. Not to forget, the irresponsible behaviour of the people, like littering and throwing bottles make the matters worse.
But you can easily contribute to saving the environment by not using plastic water bottles and switching to more eco-friendly options, like reusable bottles made from steel and other materials. These earth friendly products come in a range of attractive colours, and designs and they last for a long time. It is only a matter of refilling the bottle when empty.
Similarly, you can stop using plastic straws, plastic cutleries, and switch to using other sustainable products like straws and cutleries made of bamboo or steel. Also, make sure that you don't litter and dispose the waste carefully and appropriately.
In your home kitchen, you may be using different accessories for a variety of purposes. Although these accessories may make your daily tasks easier, you may have never spared a thought about how these products impact the environment. For example, the plastic cling you use to keep the vegetables and fruits covered ends up in the waste and does not decompose.
Similarly the plastic spoons, spatulas, bowls, etc, may serve your purpose but cause immense harm to the environment in the long run. Even the plastic tiffin box you use to pack your child’s lunch for school contributes to environmental pollution. Because of the high consumption and demand for such products, the makers continue to produce.
But, now is the time to change. You can try replacing all the plastic items in your kitchen with sustainable products. This small move can make a big difference to mother nature.
We all use different kinds of stationary like pens, journals, diaries, notebooks, etc every day at home, and in the office. Most of these stationaries are made of plastic and when you buy such products, you contribute to environmental pollution. Majority of these products are made of cheap quality plastic that are hard to decompose.
You can help conserve the planet by ditching stationery made of plastic and switching to using earth friendly products, i.e., reusable, and recyclable stationery. Today, you can easily find such products in the market, or you can buy them online.
For example, if you or your child uses notebooks at home or school, instead of buying the regular books, you can buy notebooks made from recycled papers.
You may have probably never realised this before, but sanitary napkins and tampons create a massive amount of human waste and are one of the most significant contributors to environmental pollution. Most of these products end up in landfills and take up a huge space.
Today, however, with the growing awareness among people about the ill effects of such products on the environment, many individuals are opening to the idea of using alternative products like moon cups and menstrual cups made of non-plastic materials, like silicone that are reusable.
These silicone cups are 100% environment friendly, and more importantly they are pocket-friendly. You can also switch to using other sustainable products, like panty liners made of bamboo fibres. While this may seem a small step, if people all over the world collectively take this small step, it can make a massive impact.
The plastic bags you use for everyday shopping often stay in the waste for centuries without getting decomposed. So, every time you use and throw such bags in the bin after a single use, remember, it is going to add up to the pollution.
With World Environment Day around the corner, you must take a pledge to stop using such plastic bags, be a more responsible customer and citizen and switch to using eco-friendly products like cloth bags. You can make your own DIY shopping bags at home or purchase one; they are cheap, available in different sizes, shapes and designs, making them a better and attractive alternative to plastic bags.
As one of the leading hospitality and travel brands in the country, Club Mahindra understands the importance of sustainable operation and is committed towards conserving the ecological integrity of all our resort locations. We have incorporated many sustainable practices across all our resorts in India and overseas. An integral part of our ‘save the environment’ efforts and initiatives is achieving food sustainability.
As World Environment Day is just around the corner, we share some of our eco-friendly and food sustainability measures with all our valuable patrons. Today, the travellers worldwide have become more conscious and aware of their actions on mother nature. Also, many travellers prefer enjoying authentic local food experiences, which has led to increased scrutiny on how the food is procured.
So, to give our guests the best dining experience with every meal, we have focused all our efforts in developing a holistic system for food sustainability. Our efforts are not limited to organic farming, but we also focus on saving water, buying local produce, reducing and managing food waste and encouraging the local farmers/entrepreneurs to sell organic produce and eco-friendly products.
Some of our other sustainable practices that we have implemented across our 80+ resorts, include –
As a tourist, you can contribute to the ‘go green’ cause and make informed decisions on where you stay on your holiday. Make sure that you choose places like Club Mahindra resorts that work hard to keep the environment safe and make the world a better place. Together, you and we can surely make a difference that will matter!
Mahindra Holidays & Resorts India Ltd. (MHRIL), a part of Leisure and Hospitality sector of the Mahindra Group, offers quality family holidays primarily through vacation ownership memberships and brings to the industry values such as reliability, trust and customer satisfaction. Started in 1996, the company's flagship brand ‘Club Mahindra’, today has over 300,000 members , who can holiday at 140+ resorts in India and abroad.
