Every year June 5 is observed as the World Environment day to raise awareness and enhance action on environmental issues. The World Environment Day, or WED, is hosted in a different city with a different theme each year. The first World Environment Day was commemorated in 1973.

Pittsburgh is the North American host city and Rwanda, the East African nation, which is home to numerous diverse and endangered species, is the host country for the WED 2010. The theme for this year's WED is "Many Species, One Planet, One Future", reflecting the urgent need to conserve the dwindling biodiversity of life on our planet.

Know these facts
1. At 32.3 degrees Shimla was hottest in 170 years on May 27, 2010 

2. On an average 40% of all electricity used to power home electronics is consumed while the products are on standby mode. 

3. The United Nations` Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reports that 11 of the past 12 years are among the dozen warmest since 1850. 

4. We should not kill that spider! There are more than 40,000 species of spiders, and they all eat insects and provide natural pest control.

5. Over the last 100 years global sea level has risen by about 10  12.5 cm 

6. By 2015, consumer electronics and small appliances will be responsible for almost 30% of all household electricity use. 

7. A photocopier left on overnight uses enough energy to make 1,500 photocopies 

8. 80 per cent of car tyres are under-inflated, which increases fuel consumption 

9. India is the world`s fourth biggest greenhouse gas emitter and produces about 4 percent of global carbon dioxide emissions. 

10. In India solar lanterns and homelighting systems are being used in over 600 000 homes, and are contributing to substantial savings in kerosene. 

11. The energy saved by recycling one aluminum drink can is enough to run a TV for three hours. 

12. India has constituted about 4.6% of its geographical areas into protected areas and a chain of 89 national parks and 489 wildlife sanctuaries have been established over 15 million hectares of dense forestland. 

13. It takes less energy to keep a full freezer cool than it does an empty one. If you don`t have enough food to fill it, use bottles filled with water. 

14. For office meetings, use telephone or videoconference, rather than travelling far off places.

15. Every year we throw away 24 million tons of leaves and grass. Leaves alone account for 75% of our solid waste in the fall. 

16. Temperatures have increased by 0.4 degree Celsius over India since 1901 

17. The total electricity consumed by electronic devices in standby mode equals the annual output of 12 power plants. 

18. Products made from recycled paper, glass, metal and plastic reduce carbon emissions because they use less energy to manufacture 

19. Even if all GHG emissions were to cease immediately, the earth would still experience a certain degree of climate change, due to the long lifetime of GHGs in the atmosphere 

20. Rising temperatures could provoke more frequent floods and droughts, spur disease and increase water scarcity in India because of the disappearance of Himalayan glaciers. 

21. Check and replace your vehicle`s air filter regularly to keep your car fuel efficient. 

22. 2000 trees a minute are cut down in the Amazon alone. That is 7 football fields a minute!

23. Every ton of recycled office paper saves 380 gallons of oil. 

24. Between 1990 and 1998, 97% of all natural disaster-related deaths occurred in developing countries. 

25. Glass produced from recycled glass instead of raw materials reduces related air pollution by 20%, and water pollution by 50%. 

26. There has been a 10% decrease in snow cover in the Northern Hemisphere since the late 1960s. 

27. On average, floods affect about 5,000 square kilometers of land and 4.2 million people in India each year. 

28. Majority of the developing countries (in Asia, Africa, Latin America and small island states) are in tropical and subtropical regions - the areas most likely to be affected by climate change impacts. 

29. By 2020 between 75 and 250 million people in Africa will be facing increased water shortages due to climate change. 

• Keep tyres properly inflated, save fuel and enjoy the drive 

• Buying a new cell phone? Don`t throw the older one, get it recycled. 

• Borrow from libraries instead of buying personal books and movies. 

• Avoid cold drinks, save groundwater

• Prefer teleconference instead of frequently flying for business purposes. 

• Buy local and seasonal products wherever possible. 

• Wear clothes that don`t need to be dry-cleaned. This saves money and cuts down on toxic chemical use. 

• Use star rated energy-saving appliances

• Take shorter showers to reduce water use. 

• Use Pressure cooker and steamers for cooking 

• Give your car a day off! Use public transport atleast once a week 

• Reduce office paper consumption, print and Xerox on both the sides

• Switch office equipments off after working hours. 

• Get a home energy audit and you can save up to 30% off your energy bill. 

• Bring a reusable water bottle, preferably aluminum rather than plastic, with you when traveling or at work. 

• Reduce, recycle and reuse products

• Plant more and more native trees 

• Light-coloured walls, ceilings and floors, reflect daylight, making maximum use of natural light and reducing the need to use artificial lighting. 

• Wash your clothes at a lower temperature. Detergents work fine at lower temperatures. 

• Get your car service at regular intervals to save fuel 

• Take public transport or carpool 

• Use sunlight in daytime, minimize use of electricity 

• Install energy-efficient lighting indoors and outdoors. 

• Don`t burn leaves and other horticulture waste. Go for composting 

• Install water harvesting system at your home 

• Use recycled water for gardening 

• Change the AC Filter 

• Clean or replace dirty air conditioner filters and save your electricity bill

courtesy: http://www.pittsburghwed.com/

               http://www.zeenews.com/