22 April 2005

Make Every Day Earth Day: Greens

International Earth Day is a positive celebration of efforts to save the planet, but the challenge is to make every day an Earth Day, says Green Party Co-Leader Jeanette Fitzsimons.

Green Party members are marking the 35th international Earth Day today with events around New Zealand. A number of branches are giving out pieces of 'Earth Day cake' to reflect the finite nature of the planet's resources.

"Earth Day is an opportunity to focus on the positive efforts that ordinary people are making to reverse the damage done to the planet," said Ms Fitzsimons.

"I will be with a group of Greens giving out Earth Day cake in Thames at lunchtime, I'm looking forward to getting out on the street and accentuating the good things that people are doing."

The Greens have published a bookmark to mark Earth Day that lists some things people can do to reduce their ecological footprints:

* explore the world around you; see what you can change

* see what the Millennium Report says about the Earth's (and our) future www.greenfacts.org

* enjoy a book on the bus and leave the car at home

* go for a walk somewhere beautiful once a week

* be an energy efficiency champion at work

* join with others to make a difference

* reuse those drink bottles; refill them with water

* borrow something you need rather than buying it

* savour local, organic, free range produce in season

* take time to enjoy the outdoors

* put on another layer before putting on the heater

* make sure you and your friends are enrolled to vote

More information about Earth Day internationally can be found at http://www.earthday.org.

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