INVEST IN GREEN REEN #ElPlanetaPaCuando
EARTH DAY 2022 AN
REDUCE
INITIATIVE
REUSE
RECYCLE
INVEST
CREATING A HEALTHY EARTH Creating and consuming goods creates tons of waste that ends up in landfills. Even though landfills were created to keep our communities clean, they pose a serious threat to the health of our environment. The garbage that ends up in landfills, releases large amounts of harmful greenhouse gases and creates water and air pollution, making landfills huge contributors to global warming. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), each person produces 4.40 pounds of garbage each day that adds up to the 230 million tons of municipal garbage produced each year.
Working towards living a zerowaste lifestyle by reducing, reusing, recycling, and investing in green, will help to reduce our reliance on landfills, their impact on the environment, and their impact on human health and well-being. That’s why for this year's Earth Day, we wanted to educate the public on how to reduce, reuse, recycle, and invest in green in order to help care for our environment every day of the year. A healthy planet Earth is not an option, it is a necessity. Take a look at how you can Invest in Green!
230 MILLION tons of garbage is created in the U.S. each year.
Each person produces 4.40 pounds of garbage each day.
REDUCE WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO REDUCE?
WHY SHOULD YOU REDUCE?
Reduce means to limit the number of materials and goods you consume in order to minimize the amount of waste you generate.
Making a new product requires a lot of materials and energy. Raw materials are extracted from the Earth to fabricate a product, and then a product is transported to wherever it will be sold. This process depletes our natural resources, emits greenhouse gases, and creates waste that contributes to climate change. As a result, reducing your consumption of goods to produce less waste is one of the most effective ways you can save natural resources and protect the environment.
REDUCING 1% of waste can save 406 megatons of carbon dioxide.
This is the equivalent to shutting down 21% of coal-fired power plants.
5 WAYS YOU CAN REDUCE 1. REDUCE PLASTIC CONSUMPTION Single-use plastics pose a huge threat to our ecosystem. Since plastic isn’t biodegradable and slowly breaks down into microplastics, most of the plastic that humans use ends up in landfills, oceans, and the environment, which pollutes our soil and water, harms wildlife, and damages our health. To help save our planet from singleuse plastic we must reduce its consumption by switching to reusable items like reusable bottles, bags and straws, in order to lower the demand for plastic production that’s contributing to global warming.
2. REPURPOSE
4. SAVE ENERGY
Before throwing away items and adding even more waste to our landfills, see if you can find ways to repurpose them.
The consumption of nonrenewable energy leads to the overexploitation of natural resources, destroys habitats, and emits a large amount of toxic greenhouse gases that lead to global warming.
You can use empty glass jars as flower vases, or even use egg cartons to organize smaller items like jewelry, office supplies, and more! When you repurpose household items, you reduce waste and help to preserve the environment.
3. COMPOST Recycling food waste into compost improves soil health, reduces greenhouse gases, recycles nutrients, and mitigates the impact of droughts. TAIS is a Puerto Rican company that offers Borikashi Kits so you can easily dispose of food residue at home or at work, and ferment organic matter. They pick up your fermented organic matter and compost it in order to be used as a soil enhancer. Visit TAIS to order your Borikashi kit and save organic resources.
Some of the ways we can reduce energy at home are by: unplugging unused electronics, turning off lights, using natural ventilation, and reducing water heating. Saving energy at home will benefit both your wallet and the environment.
5. GO PAPERLESS You can contribute to the wellbeing of the environment by cutting down on the amount of paper you use. Paper production causes deforestation, uses enormous amounts of energy and water, creates air pollution and waste problems. Going paperless by opting in for paperless billing, creating cloud storage, and asking for digital receipts, helps reduce deforestation and pollution.
REUSE WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO REUSE?
WHY SHOULD YOU REUSE?
Reuse means minimizing waste and maximizing resources.
Reusing allows products to be used to their fullest lifecycle and prevents us from creating waste in the first place.
It is the act of taking old items that you might consider throwing away and finding a new use for them.
Before tossing something in the trash, stop and ask yourself if it can be used for another purpose. Reusing helps conserve resources, makes needed items available to those who can’t afford to buy them, reduces the waste stream, and causes less pollution.
1 REUSABLE CUP = 500 PAPER CUPS
One reusable cup saves enough energy to produce 500 paper cups.
5 WAYS YOU CAN REUSE 1.REUSABLE PAPER TOWELS Reusable paper towels lead to a further reduction in waste, greenhouse gases and diversion from landfills. They are perfect for cleaning countertops, wiping up messes, and for using as hand towels. A single reusable paper towel cloth replaces 18 rolls of conventional paper towels, which helps you save not only money but also reduce a lot of waste. Additionally, reusable paper towels are often made from sustainable materials that are certified compostable and 100% biodegradable. Head over to zerowastestore.com to shop and learn more about this sustainable alternative.
2. RECHARGEABLE BATTERIES
4. REUSABLE SANDWICH BAGS
Replace single use batteries with rechargeable ones. Rechargeable batteries are highly effective in reducing your carbon footprint, and prevent countless single-use batteries from ending up in landfills.
It takes about 500 years for a plastic sandwich bag to decompose.
This eco-friendly alternative is reusable, reliable, and saves you money. Check out these rechargable battery options you can get at your local convenience store.
3. REUSABLE MOP PADS Reusable mop pads that are compatible with your Swiffer, help you further reduce household waste and make a positive impact on the environment. One microfiber pad can replace up to 100 disposable mop pads while providing deeper cleaning. Click here to grab your reusable mop pads today!
Russbe is a California-based company dedicated to providing washable and reusable snack and sandwich bags. They reduce your carbon footprint and help keep countless disposable bags out of the world’s oceans, cities and landfills. Do your part to live a less-waste lifestyle and shop yours today at russbe.com.
5. REUSABLE DRYING BALLS Reusable drying balls are a long lasting, all-natural solution that can replace dryer sheets and decrease your drying time, saving energy and money. They're made from wool, last for over 1,000 loads, and can be fully composted. Click here to make the swap.
RECYCLE WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO RECYCLE?
WHY SHOULD YOU RECYCLE?
Recycling is the process of collecting and processing materials to turn them into new products instead of throwing them away as trash.
Recycling benefits your community and the environment. It prevents pollution by reducing the need to collect new raw materials, conserves natural resources, reduces the amount of waste sent to landfills and incinerators, saves energy, and helps create jobs in the recycling and manufacturing industries. Some of the most common materials that can be recycled are: aluminum cans, magazines, glass containers, laundry detergent bottles, newspapers, and steel products.
94 MILLION tons of trash can be diverted from landfills due to recycling.
In 2018, about 94 million tons of waste were recycled.
5 WAYS YOU CAN RECYCLE 1. E-WASTE Donating or recycling consumer electronics conserves our natural resources, avoids air and water pollution, and reduces greenhouse gas emissions that are caused by manufacturing raw materials. ReciclaPR specializes in recycling electronic equipment in Puerto Rico. They recycle computers, monitors, printers, phones, chargers, projectors, cables, DVDs, pendrives, headphones, and more. Call ReciclaPR at (787) 705-0899 to schedule a free pickup for your electronics or you send them an email at info@reciclajepr.com
2. TERRACYLE
4. CONWASTE
TerraCycle offers free recycling programs funded by brands, manufacturers, and retailers around the world to help you collect and recycle your hard-torecycle waste. Simply choose the programs you’d like to join, start collecting materials, download free shipping labels, and send them your waste to be recycled.
Want to help save resources, prevent pollution, and support public health? Then check out ConWaste!
Visit Terracycle to start recycling and help the environment by saving energy, and natural resources.
3. TIRES Recycling old tires benefits the environment by conserving landfill space, and using the material to create new products.
ConWaste operates the main recycling plants in Puerto Rico and offers a selection of Front Load containers in different sizes with alternative collection frequencies that best suit your needs. To start recycling, visit ConWaste.
5. CLOTHING When clothes end up in landfills, they create greenhouse gases that escape into the atmosphere and accelerate climate change.
Eco Green Recycle Corp. is a tire recycling business located in Juncos, Puerto Rico that makes the Island a greener place by transforming used tires into new products.
PR Textile Recycling offers the service for the management of reuse and recycling of postconsumer textiles in the municipalities and hotels in Puerto Rico. They have bins located across the Island where people can drop off unwanted clothing items.
Visit Eco Green Recycle Corp.'s site or give them a call at (787) 235-9445 for more information.
Check out their website to find the nearest container to you.
INVEST WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO INVEST IN GREEN? Investing in Green means investing your time, investing your money and investing your energy on activities aligned with environmentallyfriendly practices and the conservation of natural resources. As individuals, we have the power to make our voices heard through our choices, our actions, and our personal interactions. You can make a difference anywhere by using your voice and committing to leaving the planet better than you found it.
WHY SHOULD YOU INVEST IN GREEN? The effects of climate change can already be seen. The time to act is now. We must have the courage and willpower to do what's necessary to preserve and protect our health, our families, and our livelihoods... together we must INVEST in Green! Because a green future is a prosperous future.
Studies show a direct correlation between sustainable business practices, share prices, and business performance. Companies who invest in ecofriendly office spaces and environments have better profitability, stronger financials, happier employees, and a higher resilient stock performance.
SUSTAINABILITY is the path towards prosperity
For all of us – today and for our future – let’s
INVEST IN GREEN REEN #ElPlanetaPaCuando
Smart companies are discovering that it is no longer a choice between going green and growing long-term profits
5 WAYS YOU CAN INVEST 1. BUY LOCAL Not only does buying local help your local community, but it also helps reduce our overall carbon footprint. Puerto Rico PRoduce is a multiplatform marketplace for local produce that connects Puerto Rican food producers with buyers. All of their products are 100% local, fresh and are delivered directly to your door. Visit PRoduce’s page to learn more about their local and fresh products and how you can contribute to Puerto Rico’s economy and agriculture economy while reducing your overall carbon footprint.
2. PLANT A TREE
4. IMPLEMENT SDGs
Trees help control the temperature, prevent soil erosion, provide wildlife habitat, improve air quality, prevent floods, and support clean water production.
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a set of 17 goals set to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all. They address global challenges of poverty, inequality, climate change, environmental degradation, peace and justice.
Para la Naturaleza has created a dedicated reforestation unit that offers tree plantings all year-round across the Island with the goal of planting 100,000 trees each year.
If we all take an active role in championing at least one Goal, our society will be better for all of us.
To participate in planting workshops and activities visit their website for online reservations.
Visit their website to start taking action for a better future.
3. BEACH CLEANING
5. SOLAR POWER
Beach clean-ups are an easy way to get involved in reducing plastic pollution and protecting marine life.
Make the switch to renewable energy with Power Solar Puerto Rico. A renewable energy company that designs, produces and markets photovoltaic systems catered to the needs of Puerto Rican consumers.
Scuba Dogs Society is a local nonprofit dedicated to Puerto Rico's environmental conservation and education that organizes beach cleanup activities every year. Click here to check out the Scuba Dogs’ Calendar of Activities to register for one of their upcoming beach clean ups.
Not only do solar panels reduce your carbon footprint but they also provide you with reliable energy at a lower cost. Visit Power Solar Puerto Rico's website to learn more about their reliable technology.
DO YOUR PART By reducing, reusing, recycling, and investing in green, we can all change our habits so that we become part of the solution. It's as easy as developing some new practices and sustainable habits that can be implemented inside and outside your home.
When actions are taken to Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Invest in Green you help save our planet by: Keeping goods and materials out of landfills.
EDUCE
Advancing green technology and source reduction processing. Creating less hazardous waste.
EUSE ECYCLE INVEST IN GREEN REEN #ElPlanetaPaCuando
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Reducing the need for new landfills and incinerators. Generating new business and employment opportunities. Reducing the strain on natural resources and safeguarding wildlife habitats. Want to join us in Investing in Green and help save our environment? Show us your commitment by sharing an image on social media and tell us how you're Investing in Green with the hashtag #ElPlanetaPaCuando.
WHAT WILL YOU DO?
In keeping with Earth Day 2022's official worldwide theme to "INVEST IN OUR PLANET", at AD&V® we will continue to Invest in Green to accelerate solutions to combat climate change, and encourage everyone — governments, citizens, and businesses — to do their part. This is a partnership for the planet.
INVEST IN GREEN REEN #ElPlanetaPaCuando
Switch to Reusable Bags
Organize a Community Cleanup
Ask for Green Power
Share a Ride or Carpool
Compost
Encourage the Use of Reusable Utensils
Buy Local Food & Products
Use a Reusable Water Bottle
Practice Sustainable Fashion
Use Eco-Friendly Cleaning Products
Repurpose Glass Jars
Turn Off Lights When Not in Use
Calculate Your Carbon Footprint
Walk or Bike Instead of Driving
Invest in Water Filters
Unplug Tech When Not in Use
Plant a Tree
Go Paperless