World Environment Day
For Immediate Release
Fredericton, NB – Today is the United Nations World Environment Day. The theme is reducing consumption.
The official UN website asserts that living within our planetary boundaries is the best way to build a sustainable future.
“What many people don’t realise is that each one of us can make a meaningful difference,” said David Coon, MLA Fredericton South and Leader of the Green Party of New Brunswick. “By reducing the amount of stuff that we buy and ultimately throw out, we can reduce waste at a ratio 70 times that amount.”
As stuff is produced, waste is generated all along the production cycle. From destruction of natural environments and factory pollution to disposal of byproducts and transportation emissions, our technologies and comforts create a lot of damage.
“New Brunswickers are big consumers,” said Coon, “but if every household in the province reduced their consumption by one bag of garbage each month, we would prevent the collective waste of almost 22 million bags of garbage monthly.”
“As a society we need to reduce our consumption of energy and products,” said Coon. “And we can all play a role.”
-30-