Everybody’s got their something, and for us it’s always been the environment. Our love and dedication to nature informs so many of the decisions (both business and personal) that we make that it has become a mainstay of our business. In this week’s blog, we take a look at some of the global and national initiatives occurring next week, during what we like to call "Green Week."
It's Green Week for us at Armpocket HQ and for every social media share between March 18th and March 22nd, we are making a donation to the Florida chapter of the Sierra Club (link)! Helping has never been easier: sharing even just one post this week to your friends, family, and followers helps to bring attention to these causes and at the end of the week, you can feel good knowing that one simple share helped us preserve the future of our planet!
Global Recycling Day (Monday, March 18)
Global Recycling Day (GRD) was created in 2018 to help recognize and celebrate the importance recycling plays in preserving our precious primary resources and securing the future of our planet. It is a day for the world to come together and put the planet first.
Every year, we use billions of tons of the earth's natural resources to transform into consumables. All too soon there will be nothing left. Which is why Armpocket chooses not only the highest quality materials for our products, but also those that are from recycled or sustainable sources. And it’s also why we must, as a planet, consider what we throw away –after all, we and many companies like us have demonstrated that these things are not trash but an opportunity.
Observance of Global Recycling Day is easy and begins with first looking at your consumption on a very basic, personal level. Are you consuming recycled goods? Is the product you are using sustainably sourced? Are you using your products for their entire life, or upgrading before the functionality has been exhausted? Ultimately, what we all hope to achieve is a global consideration for the planet and its resources and just spreading the word and making even small changes to your daily life can do that. For more information, visit their website here (link).
International Day of Happiness (Wednesday, March 20)
International Day of Happiness is a United Nations initiative that just so happens to coincide with one of the happiest days on the calendar: the first day of Spring! The goal of this initiative is to highlight that as we progress as a species, we should focus not just on the growth of things material and economic, but also on our own health, happiness, and wellbeing. First adopted in 2011 by the United Nations, the mission of the program is to help people reclaim their happiness, to recognize that we are all part of something larger than ourselves (so our happiness contributes to everyone's happiness), and lastly to highlight some of the ways that people all around the world are doing their part to make the world a happier place!
To that end, we encourage you to go and find something that makes you happy! Run a marathon! Play in the rain! Explore a new place! Your happiness is limited only by your imagination; and, just saying, you can do most of those things hands free with us!
International Day of Forests (Thursday, March 21)
The International Day of Forests (IDF) is another fantastic initiative from the United Nations that is meant to help educate the population about the impact forests have on our daily lives by celebrating all that these green spaces have to offer. Likely everyone understands that forests are important, but as the general population of the planet inches higher every year, the need for forests is growing daily.
This initiative is all about the people! No one is too young or old to start learning more about trees and our relationships with them. By encouraging younger generations to get out and explore the natural world around them, it hopefully creates a generation that is conscious of the benefits of trees and forests and the importance of managing them as a sustainable resource for future generations.
At Armpocket, we are very aware of the impact trees and forests have on our everyday lives. Our products are created from natural, sustainable sources, but in addition to that, we work every day to reduce our company's and employees' impact on the environment. Green initiatives like switching to energy efficient lighting, opting for reusable water bottles, and recycling as much of our office waste as possible are just some of the ways we work to better the planet!
To find out more about the International Day of Forests, please visit the UN website here (link).
World Water Day (Friday, March 22)
A major part of the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goals is to ensure global access to clean water. To most in the West, this isn't necessarily a daily priority, but for many marginalized groups around the world like women, children, refugees, indigenous peoples, and the disabled, access to water is not only a daily concern, regular access is often a device used by some in power to oppress, discriminate, and control.
The ultimate goal is to provide access to "safe" water for everyone, meaning a safely managed service or utility or access to unfettered premises that have potable water. Access to clean water is not only important for public health and wellbeing, but poor access can also actually be a hindrance to economic or cultural growth for a society. And it's not just safe water to drink, another key part of this goal is to improve sanitation around the world. In many places, where one goes for water is often also close to where one would go to use the bathroom. By developing systems and facilities where human and animal waste is safely disposed of, we move closer to securing clean water sources for the masses.
One of the easiest and best ways to participate is to raise awareness for water-related issues. Pollution, famine, sanitation...there are myriad ways you can help expose this issue that has, so far, been a minor concern to most in the West. For more information and some first-hand stories of how water access has impacted people like you and me, please take a look at the UN's website for World Water Day.
We really hope that you join us this week to bring attention to these important causes. We believe that our planet is the most precious gift we can give to tomorrow's generation so it takes all of us to protect and preserve it. An action as simple as sharing our social media posts showcasing these environmental initiatives on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter will result in a donation to further these efforts. Every step to help raise awareness is a step in the right direction!
