Happy Earth Day!
Every year on April 22nd, Earth Day is celebrated in the U.S. This day marks the anniversary of the environmental movement, which began when a Wisconsin Senator created a national celebration to bring awareness to the deterioration of the environment. On April 22, 1970, twenty million Americans across the country demonstrated and voiced their concerns, ultimately leading to the creation of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in December of that year. Within 10 years from the first Earth Day, many important pieces of legislation were enacted that not only protect the environment but also human health, such as the Clean Air Act, Safe Drinking Water Act, Occupational Safety and Health Act, and the Toxic Substances Control Act.
This year, 54 years since the first Earth Day, the theme is Planet vs. Plastics. This theme is meant to highlight the impacts of plastic pollution on humans, animals, and environmental health, to promote innovation and more reusable options, and to campaign for a 60% reduction in plastics by 2040.
The dairy industry has been using the widely accepted plastic milk jug since the 1960s and the plastic-coated paper milk carton since the 1930s. Today, more than 75% of all dairy packaging is comprised of plastic. Plastic packaging has allowed for flexibility, strength, stability, and ease of sterilization, while also not affecting the taste or quality of the dairy products. In fact, it has assisted in the increased shelf life for dairy products by providing a strong barrier against physical damage, microbial contamination, and in
