Happy Earth Day
Although everyday seemingly feels like Groundhog Day amid the COVID-19 pandemic, April 22nd is a particularly special day for BioStar Renewables. It is Earth Day. And this year, Earth Day takes on even greater meaning for us than years prior – for if there is any silver lining at all to COVID-19, it is that the earth is currently being given a chance to breathe. Air quality of many major cities hasn’t been cleaner in the 50 years since the inception of Earth Day in 1970, which can be directly attributed to the wide swath of global population under stay at home orders - fewer cars on the road, fewer airplanes in the sky, etc. And while the economic consequences of a shutdown are dire, it is our hope that when the economy reopens, it is done with thoughtful acknowledgment to the pivotal laws created as a result of brave citizens who took it upon themselves 50 years ago to highlight the environmental and energy challenges that still very much exist today. The planet simply can’t afford to go back to business as usual.
An even deeper global commitment to renewable energy right now will help lead this charge. It is imperative. Thankfully, since the 1970s, renewables such as solar and wind were viewed as viable solutions to the energy crisis. And the advancements since then has been tremendous. As well as the workforce to support it. Just two years ago, in 2018, clean energy jobs employed more than roughly 3.3 Americans. To put that into context, that is three times the number of Americans who are employed by the fossil fuel industry. Now, in the midst of a global pandemic such as COVID-19, the momentum must not stop. The latest research has discovered that high levels of air pollution may be one of the most important contributors to deaths from COVID-19. 80% of deaths in France, Spain, Italy and Germany occurred in 5 of the most polluted regions.
Earth Day is a great day of reflection for BioStar Renewables as a company. And this year’s Earth Day theme of climate action is fitting given the work that we do on a daily basis. It certainly speaks to our motto to lead a global transition to cost effective renewables, creating a sustainable earth. Our renewable energy and energy efficiency projects such as solar, lighting, air quality, and waste to energy all directly contribute to a cleaner more habitable and ideally a zero-carbon planet. For that we are very proud.