The third week in September annually is celebrated by the U.S. EPA as Pollution Prevention Week, paying homage to the anniversary of the Pollution Prevention Act, which passed 25 years ago and established a national policy to prevent or reduce pollution.
“We celebrate Pollution Prevention Week to recognize people and organizations who are successfully preventing pollution to reduce their environmental footprint, and to remind others that we all can choose to do one small thing for a healthier environment,” said EPA Regional Administrator Shawn M. Garvin.
“Compared to 25 years ago, more businesses, industries, communities and families are seeing the health and economic benefits of reducing waste and using energy and other natural resources more wisely.”
The EPA offers the following tips for preventing pollution:
- Ride a bike, carpool, walk or take mass transportation to work or school.
- Buy school supplies wrapped with minimal packaging, or buy products that come in bulk sizes. Packaging accounts for more than 30 percent of all the waste generated each year.
- Use re-useable lunch containers bags rather than paper or plastic.
- Practice Safe Take-out - Say no to extra napkins, plastic-ware and condiments.
- Help start a recycling program at school or at work.
- Use only recycled paper and other recycled products.
- Maintain heaters, air conditioners, refrigerators and other energy using equipment, to reduce the amount of energy used.
- Switch to compact fluorescent light bulbs.
- When you purchase electronics and appliances look for the ENERGYSTAR label and buy the most energy efficient items possible to meet your needs.
- Purchase products in bulk with minimal packaging.
- Save water and protect the environment by choosing WaterSense labeled products in your home, yard and business and taking simple steps to save water each day.