Earth Day--a day in which we reflect on how amazing our planet is and how we should care for it--is just a few days away on April 22 With the holiday just around the corner, we thought we’d share a few simple ways to keep toxic pollutants out of our air and keep our planet clean so we don’t destroy the earth and endanger the lives of friends and family.

Pick Up Cigarette Butts

Smoking cigarettes releases harmful carcinogens that pollute our air. And these carcinogens affect more than just the people who are smoking the cigarettes.In fact, Lung.org states that secondhand smoke causes approximately 7,330 deaths from lung cancer every year. If that’s not bad enough, many smokers feel it’s ok to throw their cigarette butts on the ground.Not only does this make our streets dirty, but it puts small animals--like birds or chipmunks--in harm's way as they often mistake this waste for food. Although we advise against it, it’s your personal choice to smoke. But, that personal choice shouldn’t hurt others via air pollution or waste on the ground. If you’re going to smoke, be responsible. Don’t smoke in public outdoor areas. And certainly, don’t leave your trash on the ground for small animals, or even children, to pick up and eat.

Recycle Plastics

Many people don’t think twice when burning waste, especially when it comes to plastics. However, the fumes that are emitted into the air can contain dangerous materials like mercury, polychlorinated biphenyls, and dioxins. Over time, these harmful chemicals bioaccumulate. This bioaccumulation often occurs in our water and food sources. Eventually, these pollutants can cause cancer, deformities, reproductive failure, and immune diseases in both humans and animals. Instead of burning your plastics, be sure to sort them out and recycle them. To help remind you, grab a special plastic recycling bin and place it in your kitchen. If you have kids, get them involved by decorating the bin as a fun Earth Day activity.

Avoid Barrel Burning

A lot of people burn their own trash in burn barrels because it’s easier than hauling it to the local disposal site or to avoid paying for a waste collection service. We understand the importance of saving time or pinching a few pennies. However, what you might not understand is that burning your own trash is dangerous and not good for the environment. In fact, the chemicals that are released while burning trash can...
  • Cause heart disease.
  • Aggravate respiratory ailments such as asthma and emphysema.
  • Cause rashes, nausea, or headaches.
Loose pieces of trash also often fly away and end up as trash that gets buried in the ground. Last but not least, burn barrels have the potential to cause fires, especially during times of drought. When a forest fire occurs, thousands of animals and plants are destroyed.In order to protect the earth, we advise that you let garbage disposal specialists take care of your trash for you.They know how to properly sort trash and safely burn it so that it doesn’t cause major damage to the earth.

What do you do to help keep the earth clean? Let us know in the comments below!