It’s Earth Day!

Every year on April 22 Earth Day is held to encourage energy, enthusiasm and commitment to create a new plan of action for our planet. Our world needs change and change starts with action. 

Spacecraft recently took part in a tree planting with Greening Taupo and we loved it! We can’t wait to see our Kowhai Spacewalk grow and change the local landscape. 

Every bit helps - what can you do to make a difference over the next year?

Here’s a few things to try: 

1. Avoid Plastic Disposables - single use plastics are the worst. A one-time use plastic bag takes 10–20 years to break down, and a throwaway water bottle can take up to 450 years to decompose. Other plastics that are a bit stronger can take up to 1,000 years! Refill a drink bottle, take your own bags to the supermarket and say no to plastic knives and forks with takeaways. 
2. Volunteer to Clean Up - you don’t have to be part of an organised day, you can head to your local park, beach or road side with your gloves and a bag - you’ll be amazed at what you find! And you can turn it into a family activity over the school holidays, get your school involved during term time or your rally your work place!
3. Plant Trees - one of the best ways to help the Earth is by planting more tress! Planting trees is an easy way to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, and a great way to counter deforestation.
4. Eat Local - eating locally is a great way to support local farmers and small businesses in your community and region, among other economic benefits. And it helps to reduce food miles used in getting your produce from farm to table. 
5. Recycle What You Can - recycling is one of the best Earth Day tips and ways to help the environment - check out your local Council to see what you can and can't recycle.  
6. Don't Drive Alone - about one quarter of all energy related CO2 emissions in the world comes from transportation. First, you can at least carpool, halving (or more) the CO2 emissions, since you’re sharing your car journey with others. Or take public transport.
7. Take Shorter Showers - of all the big blue expanse you see on a globe or world map, 96.5% of that is salt water. Then, another 2.5% or so is inaccessible (e.g. in ice form, underground, too dirty). This means that only around 1% of all the Earth’s water is able to be used by us in any real sense. Save water! 
8. Donate your belongings - Instead of throwing away your old clothes, appliances, laptops, toys, cell phones, and other items, consider donating them. Not only will you prevent (or at least delay) these items from adding to your local landfill’s ever-growing mountains of waste, but you also help out people and organisations in need. This is also good to consider at the time of purchase. Choose items that will have a long life or can handed down when finished with or reused by others, having a more positive impact on the environment. 
9. Unplug Your Devices When Not In Use - devices left plugged in, even when turned off, still consume power, a negligible amount each day, but it adds up over the course of weeks and months. The world uses million tons of CO2 just by leaving them plugged in.
10. Donate Funds or Your Time - find something you are passionate about and donate to an organisation or green charity. If you live in Taupo why not contact Greening Taupo - they do an amazing job planting up our green spaces! 

What difference can you make over the next year if you make a small change today. Happy Earth Day! 

The Spacecraft Team