What Does World Environment Day Mean to ASC Direct

World Environment Day takes place annually on June 5th, with the intention of drawing attention to the health of our planet and taking action to protect the Earth. Each year is focused on a different theme. Previous years have comprised of:

- Only One Earth
- Connecting Nature to People
- The Green Economy
- Think. Eat. Save.
- Go Wild for Life

Each theme is the basis of a campaign that lasers in on different issues that affect the wellbeing of the environment, while also highlighting how it relates to our lives as humans. These campaigns aim to inspire positive change within, and outside of, the United Nations participating countries.

What is World Environment Day

It was 1972 when the first major international conference for the environment was held by the United Nations; this event was known as the “Conference on the Human Environment”. The conference was held to reflect the growing concern for nature felt worldwide – conservationism was becoming a hot topic following the “Niger Delta Oil Pollution” lawsuit, the degradation of the Amazonian rainforest and the opening of Rio Tintos Panguna copper mine in Papua New Guinea, to name but a few.

The History of World Environment Day

World Environment Day was established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1972, making it one of the most celebrated environmental events worldwide. Since then, it has become a platform for individuals, organizations, and governments to come together and take positive action towards a healthier planet.

The conference took place in Stockholm, Sweden; naturally the documentation proposed on this day was named “The Stockholm Declaration and Action Plan for the Human Environment”. This dossier contained a series of 26 principles by which humanity should conduct themselves when engaging with the planet. These principles can be found within the official documentation here.

This Year's World Environment Day Theme

The theme for 2023 is #BeatPlasticPollution. As a company that specializes in corrugated cardboard packaging, we wholeheartedly support this theme. It emphasizes the urgency to reduce plastic pollution, and it aligns perfectly with our commitment to promoting cardboard as a more sustainable alternative.

Worldwide, approximately 1 million plastic bottles are purchased every minute. Mankind also produces roughly 5 trillion plastic bags in any given year. All of these being single use products! 

While it would be unrealistic to expect everyone to give up on plastic as a resource, we can change the way we utilise the material. Examples would include asking people to keep bags for life, instead of getting a fresh simple bag each time. Some countries have implemented plastic bottle collection machines, that will pay you some spare change for each container you recycle.

Small acts like this will build up over time and stop the progression of the “plastisphere” on our habitats, but individuals can only do so much; it won’t outweigh large corporations that choose to disregard nature. Plastic can only be recycled 2 or 3 times before it becomes too degraded to be used. If big businesses, choose to keep using plastic packaging for their products then we will inevitably be adding more and more microplastics to our soil and our oceans composition.

Not only is it bad for the planet, but it’s bad for our bodies, as humans consume more and more of these materials, we are more likely to enter oxidative stress and develop autoimmune conditions. So, the natural approach to protect Earth and humanity would be to replace packaging products with recyclable materials. There’s no need to compromise on style when choosing cardboard to house your products. You can see more information on why plastic isn’t required in our previous blog "Alternatives to Plastic Food & Drink Packaging".

What is the purpose of World Environment Day?

The purpose of World Environment Day is to inspire and empower people to become active participants in environmental conservation. It encourages us to reflect on our actions and make conscious choices that have a positive impact on the environment. One critical concept related to this purpose is Earth Overshoot Day, which marks the point in the year when humanitys' demand for resources exceeds the Earth's capacity to regenerate them. By observing World Environment Day, we aim to reverse this trend and work towards a more sustainable future.

Earth Overshoot Day

Earth Overshoot Day serves as a stark reminder that our current consumption patterns are pushing our planet to its limits. The later in the year Earth Overshoot Day falls, the more sustainable humanity becomes. Since 1972 Earth Overshoot Day has been getting earlier almost every year. The main modern outlier being 2020 (the year of Covid 19 Lockdowns internationally) where EOD landed on August 16th – almost 2 weeks later than the past decade. This can be attributed to factors such as people either working remotely or not at all, so they would stay home more often and reduce traffic pollution. There’s also the fact people had less money to spend on luxury products, meaning there was no need to produce excess packaging for what didn’t sell. 

It highlights the importance of adopting eco-friendly alternatives, such as cardboard packaging, which has a significantly lower environmental footprint compared to plastic. By choosing cardboard, we can reduce the demand for plastic and contribute to extending the Earth Overshoot Day further into the year.

ASC Direct's Environmental Policy

At ASC Direct, we take our environmental responsibility seriously. We understand the impact of packaging materials on the planet, and that's why we prioritize corrugate as our primary material. Cardboard is made from renewable resources, such as trees, and it is biodegradable, recyclable, and compostable.

How ASC Direct is going to follow this year's World Environment Day Theme

In line with the #BeatPlasticPollution theme, ASC Direct is dedicated to reducing plastic waste and promoting cardboard as a sustainable packaging solution. Here are some actions we are taking:

- Increasing cardboard packaging options: We are expanding our range of cardboard packaging solutions to provide customers with more environmentally friendly alternatives to plastic packaging. As well as making external packaging plastic free, we’re also able to design custom fitted inserts to segment and protect your items internally. 

- Promoting the benefits of cardboard: We actively educate our customers about the advantages of cardboard, including its recyclability, biodegradability, and lower carbon footprint compared to plastic. Plus, the ease of storing it compared to plastic, as boxes can be flattened and reformed many times as needed, compared to plastic that may not appropriately reshape once collapsed.

- Collaborating with suppliers: We work closely with our suppliers to ensure the sourcing of sustainable and responsibly produced cardboard materials. We also endeavour to keep our delivery methods as environmentally friendly as possible. You’re even welcome to come collect your order from our warehouse in person, if you so choose.

- Investing in research and development: We are continuously exploring innovative ways to improve the sustainability of our cardboard packaging, such as using water-based inks and adhesives. Advocating for responsible packaging practices: We actively engage with industry associations and organizations to advocate for sustainable packaging practices and raise awareness about the benefits of cardboard. By following this year's World Environment Day theme, ASC Direct aims to play its part in beating plastic pollution and creating a greener future for generations to come.

We hope everyone can embrace the message behind World Environment Day and join us on our journey of conservation and sustainability. To find out more about how you can save the planet with your packaging, contact our team today. 

James Palfrey-Smith is the Commercial Manager at ASC Direct with extensive experience in both operations and sales. James is passionate about solving packaging problems, delivering fast customer support, and building lasting relationships. Outside of work, he enjoys outdoor activities like hiking and skiing. A fan of real ale and business podcasts, he continuously seeks personal and professional growth. 

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