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1 <br /> ORANGE COUNTY <br /> BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br /> ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br /> Meeting Date: April 20, 2021 <br /> Action Agenda <br /> Item No. 4-a <br /> SUBJECT: Earth Day 2021 Proclamation <br /> DEPARTMENT: Solid Waste, DEAPR <br /> ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: <br /> Proclamation Robert Williams, 919-918-2788 <br /> David Stancil, 919-245-2510 <br /> PURPOSE: To consider adoption of a proclamation related to Earth Day and environmental <br /> protection actions, including declaring April 2021 as "Skip the Stuff Month," July 2021 as "Reduce <br /> Single Use Plastics Month," and recognizing April 22 as Earth Day 2021 - encouraging County <br /> residents to participate in planned Earth Day activities. <br /> BACKGROUND: Thursday, April 22, 2021 is the 51st celebration of Earth Day, which was first <br /> identified and acknowledged in 1970 to give voice to a growing awareness of the importance of <br /> the planet's finite resources and public consciousness about the state of the planet. <br /> A number of events will be occurring locally during April and beyon, to celebrate Earth Day and <br /> promote efforts to protect and conserve natural resources. <br /> Related to these efforts a proclamation has developed for the Board's consideration. <br /> The proclamation includes: <br /> • A request from the Solid Waste Department to declare "Skip the Stuff Month" for April 2021 <br /> and "Reduce Single Use Plastics Month" for July 2021. These efforts are focused on <br /> reducing the reliance on non-recyclable plastics such as straws, cups, utensils and <br /> containers. Since the Covid pandemic of the last year, there has been a significant increase <br /> in the use of disposable plastic items. Non-reusable plastics have a myriad of negative <br /> effects, from harming wildlife to degrading water quality, and creating public health <br /> concerns. The proclamation encourages County residents and businesses — in the spirit of <br /> Earth Day — to promote the reduction of single-use plastics by not purveying or accepting <br /> these products when offered, and offering compostable or reusable alternatives. <br /> • Recognition of April 22 as Earth Day 2021, encouraging residents to participate in a <br /> number of planned activities designed to celebrate the planet and the natural resources <br /> that sustain us, including local efforts such as: <br />