In January of 1969, an oil well off the coast of Santa Barbara in California experienced a blowout.
The oil spill spewed an estimated three million gallons of crude oil into the ocean, creating lasting damage to wildlife and natural ecosystems, killing thousands of birds and sea animals. It was the largest oil spill at the time in U.S. waters.
A duck covered in a thick coating of crude oil.
Credit: Getty Images
The disaster helped create the modern environmental movement. Born in 1970, Earth Day has evolved from raising awareness of offshore drilling to the broader impact of environmental damage. Today, Earth Day is a reminder that each of us have the ability to create real impact to promote a healthy, sustainable Earth. After all, we only have one planet – and we need to treat it right.
Environmental Action We Can All Take Part in: Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle
Small actions do add up. Doing little things like turning off the lights, picking up waste, and reducing the use of plastics can make a big difference in using less energy, which also reduces carbon footprints.
According to the European recycling industries (EuRIC), reuse of textiles has 70 times lower impact on the environment compared to producing new clothing. Imagine a circular textile value chain where every piece of clothing is reused or recycled. It will significantly drive down CO2 and water waste.
As a company, E Ink recently completed its annual clothing drive supported by the Ad Hoc Philanthropic Committee (AHPC). Since its inception in 2003, the clothing drive has donated 27,690 pounds (about 12,559.96 kg) of clothing, shoes, and linens.
Members of the AHPC at E Ink - from left, Nichole Phang, Eric Duchaine, Jennifer Lamprom, Keith Jacobsen (chair), Chris Bayan
Credit: E Ink
Sustainability is a journey, unique to each consumer. What’s reassuring to see is many consumers are taking actions now and turning to reusable alternatives.
Two Ways Companies Can Achieve Net Zero
By taking more ambitious climate action, companies can both help the planet and spur innovation. All companies have a role to play in investing in solutions to protect the planet and the economy.
To reduce carbon footprint and carbon intensity, companies need to understand that:
- 1. We must come together and work in partnership to ensure the needs of our future generations are met.
Joining organizations like The Climate Pledge allows companies to be part of a community of leading businesses committed to transformational action to protect the global economy from the disruptive risks associated with climate change.
E Ink is the first display company to join The Climate Pledge.
Credit: E Ink
- 2. Investing in sustainable technology NOW protects our future.
Sustainable technology helps reduce the harmful environmental effects of human activity on the natural environment. In the signage industry, low-power display solutions – such as the ones powered by ePaper technology – replace physical paper and reduce paper waste, and are a more sustainable display choice than LCDs as they require high power consumption.
The colors displayed are just as vivid and dynamic, and the displays allow cities, transit lines, and advertisers to connect with their audiences in a more engaging way.
E Ink recently launched E Ink Kaleido™ 3 Outdoor. It offers 4,096 colors..
Credit: E Ink
What did you do to celebrate Earth Day this year?
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