Earth Day, 365 Times a Year

In the sea, soon, there could be more pieces of plastic than fish. That the warning from a study done by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation. The risk of a “plastic sea” could become reality already in 2050 and is a sad target that is closer than it seems. "Since 1964, plastic production has increase twenty times and in the next 30 years, it is predicted that the numbers may quadruple again." In light of this data and in order not to let the problem become an unstoppable wave, Earth Day 2018, 22 April, is dedicated to “Ending Plastic Pollution”. A Responsible Choice 60% of the plastic that ends up in the oceans today comes from China, the Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia and Vietnam. But the solutions to reduce pollution in the oceans from bottles and packaging – the most common plastic pieces that end up in the water – are not just the responsibility of these countries and various packaging producers. Protecting rivers, seas and oceans from pollution is something we can all do, individually and together. Private citizens and communities can adopt responsible behaviors and take initiative to free the environment from the plastic that is now invading it. "For Earth Day, at the National Geographic Science Festival in Rome, there will be a panel entitled “What’s the Future for the Earth?”. The green skipper Andrea Fantini will also take part." Cleaning Rivers with Innovation Our El Canadà hydropower plant in Guatemala is one example of how EGP carries out its daily work by using its plants not only to produce energy, but also to help safeguard the environment and local communities. Along the 145 km of the Rio Samalá, a river that has contributed to the development of agriculture and the economy of Guatemala, people and companies often willingly dump pollutants and plastic. This sad habit has transformed the river from a resource to an environmental problem, making it one of the most polluted in the country. "EGP’s El Canadà plant has become a levee against this wave of pollution. The agony of the Rio Samalá was interrupted when our plant took on an unusual role for a hydropower plant: purifier." The water of the Rio is filtered first by a large grid that blocks large objects and slag, then by a second device that takes care of smaller residue. The garbage recovered by our plant is sorted and recycled: the plastic is reused while the residue that can be burned becomes fuel for industrial factories. Changing Together In the United States, the people who work at Enel Green Power North America’s headquarters in Andover are known by local communities for the days they spend cleaning litter and plastic from parks and rivers each year. "Each year, dozens of EGP volunteers participate in the cleaning of the banks of the Merrimack River in Massachusetts, the company is an active part of the Clean River Project." On the other side of the ocean, in Italy, it’s become a habit for the people working in EGP headquarters to participate in days organized by Legambiente to clean public parks and beaches. In the Ponte Vecchio public park, featuring the Aniene River and on the Tyrrhenian coast of Capocotta, EGP and Legambiente volunteers worked side by side to clean plastic and litter from the fields, beaches, dunes and sea. "In 2017, more than 160 people dedicated their time to days of volunteering to take care of common spaces and the territory of Rome and its surroundings." A personal and shared commitment to safeguard the environment and protect ecosystems and public green spaces. A simple way to push back against the wave of plastic and garbage that threatens many territories due to negligence, irresponsibility and little foresight on behalf of those who litter.

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Earth Day, 365 Times a Year

Earth Day, 365 Times a Year