There is no place like Earth, right? We live on this planet; we breathe its air, drink its water, and explore its land. This planet is our home. Just like at your house, you and your family must take action to ensure your home is safe and clean to use. Well, our bigger home needs the same treatment. World Pollution Prevention Day is observed on December 2 every year. It’s on this day to commemorate the victims of the Bhopal Gas Incident that occurred on December 2, 1984, at a pesticide plant in India where about 45 tons of a very dangerous gas was leaked into the atmosphere, causing a lot of permanent harm and tragedy to more than 20,000 people. This day seeks to raise awareness about all of the physical and environmental damage resulting from pollution in water, land, and air, making our world unsafe for plants, animals, and us!
Pollution can come from many sources, like factories, cars, and even littering. On this day, people all around the world learn about the different types of pollution and how they affect our environment. For example, dirty water can hurt fish and other creatures living in rivers and oceans. Air pollution can make it hard for us to breathe and can even cause health problems. Land pollution, like trash on the ground, can harm animals and ruin beautiful natural places. Everything on our planet is valuable and has a place in our ecosystem, and if one thing is polluted, that pollution can spread and create other problems. Yes, a plastic bag is just one plastic bag, but if 8 billion people all throw one plastic bag on the ground, then that one bag has multiplied and isn’t such a small number.
World Pollution Prevention Day encourages everyone to think about ways to reduce pollution. Here are some ways you can exercise your effort and help our planet! You can recycle, use more biodegradable (decomposes right into the soil) material, plant trees, or walk or bike instead of driving to school. You can make sure that you are always putting your trash in the trash can, and you can also try composting old food scraps like egg shells, your parents’ coffee grounds, vegetable scraps, and even remnants of grass cutting. Doing any of these things when composting can reduce gas emissions into the atmosphere and can create nutrient-dense soil, which is helpful for our plants. Schools, communities, and families often participate by organizing clean-up events, educational activities, and discussions about how to take care of our planet.
On World Pollution Prevention Day this year, I hope you feel inspired and inspire everyone to make small changes in their daily lives that can lead to big improvements for our Earth. When we all work together, we can create a cleaner, healthier world for ourselves and future generations.
Want to learn more about pollution, pollution reduction, and how to better preserve our planet? Here are some books and stories about heroes like you who work to save our earth that may interest you! So, let’s remember to be kind to our planet every day, not just on World Pollution Prevention Day!
To Change a Planet by Christina Soontornvat; illustrated by Rahele Jomepour Bell
“Even though the Earth seems big and unchangeable, humans have altered its climate, creating consequences for all life. By working together, humans can save the planet, and ourselves.”
-Provided by Publisher
We are Water Protectors written by Carole Lindstrom; illustrated by Michaela Goade
Water is the first medicine. It affects and connects us all… When a black snake threatens to destroy the Earth and poison her people’s water, one young water protector takes a stand to defend Earth’s most sacred resource. Inspired by the many indigenous-led movements across North America, this bold and lyrical picture book issues an urgent rallying cry to safeguard the Earth’s water from harm and corruption.
The tale of the whale by Karen Swann; illustrated by Padmacandra
A whale takes a child on adventure across the ocean, and together they explore the wonders of the ocean world, but also the sad state of plastic pollution–and the child returns home to try and help the whale to save his marine home.
What a Waste by Jess French
“Everything you need to know about what we’re doing to our environment, good and bad, from pollution and litter to renewable energy and plastic recycling. This environmental book will teach keen young ecologists about our actions affect planet Earth. Discover shocking facts about the waste we produce and where it goes. Did you know that every single plastic toothbrush ever made still exists? Or that there’s a floating mass of garbage larger than the USA drifting around the Pacific Ocean? It’s not all bad news though. As well as explaining where we’re going wrong, What a Waste shows what we’re doing right! Discover plans already in motion to save our seas, how countries are implementing schemes that are having a positive impact, and how your waste can be turned into something useful. Every small change helps our planet!”
-Amazon.com
The Crayons Love our Planet by Drew Daywalt; Oliver Jeffers
The hilarious Crayons are back in this celebration of our planet and their contributions to it – white ice caps, green trees, blue oceans and skies, brown soil and even wheat!
-Provided by Publisher
We Planted a Tree by Diane Muldrow; illustrated by Bob Staake
Simple text reveals the benefits of planting a single tree, both to those who see it grow and to the world as a whole.
The Lorax by Dr. Seuss
“Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not.”
-The Lorax
