June 5th marks World Environmental Day. Created by the United Nations in 1974, it is a day set aside to spread awareness about the threat to the environment due to rising pollution levels and climate change.

In its 47th year, World Environmental Day focuses on ecosystem restoration or reversing the trend from exploiting nature to healing it, with the theme Reimagine. Recreate. Restore.

Responsible use of natural resources and the environment leads to biodiversity and a sustainable ecosystem. It aids in eliminating poverty and improves our way of life. Irresponsible behavior, however, creates pollution, increases poverty rates, and, in some cases, endangers plants and wildlife to the point of extinction.

Here are some facts to remember on World Environmental Day.

• Worldwide, nearly 75% of freshwater resources are devoted to crop or livestock production. Improper management leads to polluted waterways, which influence the health of billions of people worldwide.
• Approximately fifteen million trees are cut down annually to manufacture toilet paper. That number accounts for 15% of global deforestation.
• In the U.S., about 65% of the aluminum produced is recycled. Still, $700 million worth of aluminum cans are sent to landfills.
• A glass bottle can take 4,000 years to decompose. In 2018, only 15% of all glass food jars manufactured in the United States were recovered for recycling.
• The average American family uses 400 gallons of water daily. 95% of that water goes down the drain.
• It takes 1,000 years for a single-use plastic bag to degrade in a landfill. In America, 100 billion plastic bags are used per year, approximately 87% of which are never recycled.
• From 2010 to 2019, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature declared the extinction of 160 species of plants and animals. Most were due to changes in the environment and human activities.
• For every ton of paper produced, 380 gallons of oil are used. Seventeen trees are cut down too.
• Paper accounts for over 16% of solid waste in landfills. As it decomposes, it releases methane, a greenhouse gas 25 times more toxic than carbon dioxide.
• Idling a car for more than 10 seconds produces more emissions that contribute to smog and climate change than stopping and starting the vehicle. Idling is also bad for the engine.
• Every year, approximately 9 billion pounds of ink is used worldwide. That equates to nearly 2 billion pounds of pigment, most of which is made with non-renewable resources.