Today we’re celebrating International Earth Day! It’s a great opportunity to take part in many eco-friendly activities—not just today, but all year long...

After all, what matters most are not just the symbolic actions on this day, but also good practices every day. An example of what environmentally conscious customers expect was described based on the experiences of our foundation’s president, Ewa Daros, during a recent training session on the Darnet Social Media Marketing & Business Trainings.

It is a fact that the climate is changing, and the public is becoming increasingly aware of this. For those who are not yet convinced, we have a few facts from a reliable source—the Rzeczpospolita Polska website. They are as follows:

  • The level of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere is rising—this primarily concerns carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide. Their concentrations (compared to pre-industrial levels) have increased by 149%, 262%, and 123%, respectively. Considering carbon dioxide alone, as much as 40 billion metric tons of this gas are released into the atmosphere each year.
  • The average air temperature is rising—the last decade (2011–2020) was recognized as the warmest on record. Currently, the air temperature is statistically 1.1 degrees higher than it was before the Industrial Revolution. We are also seeing fewer days of freezing temperatures and an increasing number of hot days.
  • The ice sheet is continuously melting—considering only Antarctica and Greenland, as much as 28 trillion metric tons of ice have been lost since the 1990s. In the case of Greenland, which naturally loses part of its ice sheet every summer, this process has accelerated by a factor of two.
  • Sea levels are rising—according to statistics cited by NASA, sea levels are rising by an average of 3.4 mm per year, whereas in the 1990s, the rate was 2.2 mm.

So what can we do—and what’s worth doing regularly—for our planet?

  • Promote sustainable development—ESG, e.g., reduce energy consumption (TV, computer, charger, extension cord, radio);
  • choose appliances (e.g., washing machine, dishwasher, refrigerator) with the highest energy efficiency rating; 
  • replace light bulbs with energy-efficient ones, use task lighting instead of general lighting (e.g., a desk lamp instead of lighting the entire room);
  • reduce plastic use;
  • participate in environmental education campaigns, such as cleaning up green spaces;
  • sort your trash;
  • leave your car at home;
  • reduce air travel;
  • get involved in tree planting;
  • read the ingredients of the products you buy;
  • choose eco-friendly packaging, limiting the use of plastic and plastic wrap;
  • do not throw away food (this will save many liters of water and contribute to a real reduction in CO2);
  • collect rainwater and use it, for example, to water your garden or potted plants;
  • You can also initiate or co-organize events yourself, such as presentations, workshops, discussions, marches, demonstrations, or joint environmental initiatives.

In the face of the climate crisis, each of these actions is worth its weight in gold!