Happy Monday 👋

Here are the impactful insights that I have for you today:

• How to get involved in Global Recycling Day ♻️
• The launch of Eco-Flix streaming to support conservation charities 📺
• The no-fishing zones established to protect vulnerable marine species 🐋
• And more… 💚

When was the last time you actively thought about ways to recycle more and use less virgin materials?

For me, it was when I (finally) switched away from liquid shampoo to shampoo bars. I frankly don’t know why I didn’t do this earlier as I have been using soap bars for the longest time…

And now I can recycle their cardboard packaging instead of having to throw away plastic containers.

It might not sound like much but, over time, all these little things compound. And collectively, we make an even bigger impact!

♻️ Event of the Week: Global Recycling Day

👉 Did you know that today (March 18) is Global Recycling Day? This day was formed to raise awareness of global warming and encourage people to recycle items rather than throw them away. 

1️⃣ The big picture: Global Recycling Day was founded in 2018 by the Bureau for International Recycling (BIR) as a recycling initiative that encourages us to see our trash as an opportunity to save the planet. Today, the event is used to help recognize and celebrate the important role recycling plays in preserving precious natural resources and protecting the diversity of our planet. 

2️⃣ Why is this important: Recycling protects our natural resources, saves energy, and is key to combatting climate change. February 2024 was the hottest February since records began in 1850. The combined land and global temperature has increased at an average rate of 0.11^oF per decade, with the last three decades warming 3x faster. Global warming is causing the melting of the world’s polar ice caps and increasing sea levels, as well as creating more frequent droughts and severe storms, affecting the health of plants, animals, and humans. 

3️⃣ How can you get involved: The theme for Global Recycling Day 2024 is #RecyclingHeroes to recognize the people, places, and activities that showcase the importance of recycling to save our natural planet. To get involved in this awareness event you can participate in local recycling programs or spread awareness through your social media channels. 

Below are our favorite charities that are especially relevant this awareness week:

• 9 Best Charities That Promote Recycling
• 9 Best Charities for Climate Change
• 9 Best Charities That Fight Global Warming

📢 Three Good News

📺 The launch of the Eco-Flix streaming platform to support conservation efforts:

• A new nonprofit streaming platform is on a mission to be the ‘Netflix for nature’, running documentaries and wildlife-themed movies to inspire the public to take action.
• Each program tells the story of a non-profit to raise awareness of the work being done to save our natural planet and encourage more donations. 
• On sign-up, subscribers can choose a charity to support, who will receive 100% of their subscription money every month. 

🐋 The new no-fishing zones that give Antarctic marine species the chance to recover:

• The government of the South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands (SGSSI) has recently established new no-fishing zones covering over 166,000 km² of its current marine protected areas to prevent krill fishing. 
• These no-fishing zones are designed to protect endangered species in the area including baleen whales, seals, and penguins.
• The designation of these protected areas came after a lengthy review process involving multiple stakeholders, scientists, and conservation experts. 

🧑‍🔬 How scientists have found a way to enhance hydrogen generation efficiency:

• Professor Kangwoo Cho and Jiseon Kim from the Division of Environmental Science & Engineering at Pohang University have devised a catalyst to improve the efficiency of reactions using municipal sewage to produce hydrogen.
• Current hydrogen extraction techniques are notoriously slow, resulting in low energy conversion efficiency.
• This new technique utilizes urea, a pollutant in urine, to enhance the efficiency of hydrogen production and wastewater treatment.

🤝 Three More Important Awareness Events

🗣️ March 18-24, Neurodiversity Celebration Week:

• Neurodiversity Celebration Week aims to change the way neurodiverse identities are perceived.
• The week promotes accessibility and diversity initiatives for neurodiverse people.

🚯 March 18-24, Food Waste Action Week: 

• In the UK alone, 4.7 million tonnes of edible food is thrown away each year. 
• This week-long campaign brings organizations together to help citizens develop the tools they need to curb their food waste.

😀 March 20, International Day of Happiness:

• Recognizing that happiness and well-being are universal human goals, the UN launched this day in 2012. 
• It draws attention to the need for a more inclusive, equitable, and balanced approach to public policy to achieve happiness and well-being for all. 

Related: You can discover all the 115 most important awareness events (for the month, days, weeks) in our awareness calendar for March 2024!

📜 This Week in History

🧑‍🚀 March 18, 1965: Russian cosmonaut Aleksei Leonov became the first man to walk in space after passing through an airlock on the Voskhod spacecraft. 

🎙️ March 18, 1902: Italian operatic tenor Enrico Caurso made his first phonograph recording, paving the way for the development of the music recording scene we know today. 

💉 March 19, 1987: AZT (azidothymidine) became the first drug to be approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of AIDS. 

💭 Quote of the Day

“The Earth was small, light blue, and so touchingly alone, our home that must be defended like a holy relic.”

— Aleksei Leonov, Russian cosmonaut

Share the news with your friends to make a bigger positive impact on the world and society together!

Stay impactful 💚