EARTHDAY.ORG Teams Up with Let’s Do It World to Tackle Plastic Waste

Washington D.C (September 16, 2024) - EARTHDAY.ORG, the global leader in environmental advocacy and the organizer of Earth Day marked every April 22, is delighted to continue its partnership with Let's Do It World, the driving force behind World Cleanup Day. On September 20, 2024, we will unite on a global scale to activate cleanups in all corners of the globe.

This year is particularly significant for our partnership, as it marks the first time World Cleanup Day has been officially recognized on the United Nations Calendar of International Days and Weeks. This milestone is a testament to the relentless advocacy and dedication of volunteers worldwide.

Let's Do It World's theme, Make Room For Life, emphasizes the importance of action and stewardship, making space for new possibilities, for nature to bloom, and for communities to enjoy safer and healthier environments.

EARTHDAY.ORG's 2024 theme, Planet vs. Plastics, underscores the urgent need to end plastic pollution, which poses significant threats to environmental health and human well-being. This is why EARTHDAY.ORG and Let's Do It World continue to call for a meaningful and binding Global Plastics Treaty, at the fifth session of the International Negotiating Committee, and for a 60% reduction in plastic production by 2040.

"Cleanups are one part of the solution but ultimately most plastic trash will end up in landfills or the oceans. The solution, long term, is that we need to produce less plastics to prevent plastics from ever ending up in the environment," said Michael Karapetian, The Great Global Cleanup Coordinator at EARTHDAY.ORG. "We are partnering with Let's Do It World because together we can help reduce the volume of plastic entering our communities and educate people about the dangers of plastic. Plastics are not inert, they degrade over time into smaller pieces called microplastics which poison us and wildlife."

EARTHDAY.ORG and Let's Do It World are advocating for the swift phasing out of single-use plastics. Over 430 million tons of plastic is produced annually, according to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and one third of that plastic is single use. Most single-use does exactly what it says - it's used once and thrown away - for example 95% of plastic packaging. Which is why eight million metric tons of plastic ends up in our oceans and waterways every year. By 2040, this figure could triple.

"We're calling on everyone, all over the world, to join us. Participating in World Cleanup Day will contribute to a cleaner environment in the short term, but we hope too that it will inspire governments and citizens to back our calls to reduce waste creation - especially plastics - for the health of our planet," Said Anett Linno, the CEO of Let's Do It World.

Since 2018, World Cleanup Day has boasted 91 million participants removing 543,000 tons of waste from the environment. Join EARTHDAY.ORG and Let's Do It World this World Cleanup Day on September 20th by finding a cleanup near you on The Global Cleanup Map. No event near you? Create your own cleanup event using our Clean Up Toolkit and do your part in ending plastics by signing EARTHDAY.ORG's petition for a binding and meaningful Global Plastics Treaty.

About EARTHDAY.ORG:
EARTHDAY.ORG's mission is to diversify, educate, and activate the environmental movement worldwide. Growing out of the first Earth Day (1970), EARTHDAY.ORG is the world's largest recruiter to the environmental movement, working with more than 150,000 partners in nearly 192 countries to build environmental democracy. More than 1 billion people now participate in Earth Day activities each year, making it the largest civic observance in the world. Its flagship volunteer initiative, The Great Global Cleanup® takes place year round and engages millions of volunteers in creating clean communities worldwide. To learn more, please visit: EARTHDAY. ORG

For Media Inquiries/background/quotes and interviews:
Sarah Davies, [email protected], +1 240 463 1341 (Washington DC)
Terran Fielder, [email protected], +1 661 444 4436 (Washington DC)

About Let's Do It World:
Let's Do It World is a global organization that unites more than 191 countries' teams worldwide into the biggest active network to unite their efforts for the waste free World. The World Cleanup Day is the biggest event organized by LDIW and during the last six worldwide cleanups have engaged more than 91 million people from 198 countries and regions. The Let's Do It World network is addressing numerous global and regional projects to catalyze the activities in countries for the circular economy as well as for zero waste. Learn more at worldcleanupday.org

For Media Inquiries/background/quotes and interviews:
Eger Karuse, [email protected], Tallinn, Estonia