Have you ever heard of Zero Emissions Day? This day designated by the United Nations and acknowledged worldwide was started by “Ken Wallace” from Nova Scotia.
While walking his daughter, Ken observed an idling truck. The wheels in his head began to turn as he wondered how many idling vehicles are there right now in his home province or across Canada or even around the world.
This observation made Ken realise the Earth needs a break from our day to day operations and habits and that is how ZeDay was born – Zero Emissions Day. In fact, the main message of this day is “Give our planet one day off a year”.
Giving the planet a day off is a smart idea. It is a SMART idea because it is: Specific (cut out a carbon emission activity or habit in your life); Measurable (did you do it or not and where is the proof); Achievable (you will choose a habit that is practical for you to exclude for one day); Relatable (did the omitted habit contribute to the zero emission challenge) and Timely (the challenge is a 24-hour challenge).
Why is Zero Emissions Day important? We know that a habit is hard to change. So the global Zero Emissions Day challenge is one step closer to developing the habit change needed to allow us to meet the Net Zero Emission Global Target by 2050.
Net Zero Emission, NZE, is a target that aims to bring global energy-related carbon dioxide emissions to net zero by 2050.
If achieved, this will give the world an even chance of limiting the global temperature rise to 1.5 °C. You might have heard of the chant “1.5 to Stay Alive”. This chant was created by students from the University of the West Indies.
We – all people of Earth – must work collectively to achieve this because in the words of Greta Thunberg, “There is no Planet B”.
We know what we are asking might seem impossible, but how do we eat an elephant? One bite at a time.
So let’s begin with Zero Emissions Day, which is September 21. Make a SMART zero emission pledge. Choose a habit that is practical for you to omit on September 21 for 24 hours, along with research habits you can employ.
Set a personal challenge, a family or household challenge, a school challenge, a workplace challenge. The prospects are endless. Set your challenge, document it and post it with the hashtag #ZeDay or #Zeroemissionsday on barbudanGO’s Facebook and Instagram page.
Collectively let’s set a SMART Zero Emissions Day goal and achieve it to “give our planet a day off”.
Join barbudanGO and the rest of the world in acknowledging Zero Emissions Day and make a commitment that truly counts.