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Activation Energy and the Environment
Activation Energy and the Environment
Apr 10, 2026
The Scientific Principle of Activation Energy
This month at the Spruce Initiative we look at how the scientific principle of activation energy applies to both the Spruce Initiative and the environment.
When a chemical reaction takes place there is frequently a larger amount of energy required to start the reaction than there is to sustain it. This extra amount of energy is called the Activation Energy. Before a reaction takes place the resting state is represented on a graph of energy versus time as a straight flat line. The activation energy is represented as a hump in the line and the new level is represented by a plateau at another level.
With regard to the amount of rubbish in the environment the amount of rubbish will continue to accumulate.until such time as the amount of rubbish picked up from our streets and waterways exceeds the amount of rubbish being accumulated. This extra rubbish which needs to be picked up to keep a balance between the amount of rubbish being accumulated and the amount of rubbish being picked up is the activation energy.
This means that the extra accumulated rubbish needs to be picked up by the efforts of a number of people who are prepared to pick up rubbish through daily efforts and cleaning bees. A new balance needs to be struck between the amount of rubbish accumulating in the environment and the amount being picked up. Ideally through being prepared to put in the extra effort and to committing daily cleaning a sustainable level of cleanliness can be reached.
The same principle of activation energy is true of climate control, biodiversity and pollution. If we reach a certain level of global warning, global warming will accelerate. Likewise to right the balance we need to put in extra effort to reduce levels of greenhouse gases. We need to maintain the health of our atmosphere and protect the plants and trees on land and in the water. We also need to protect the other organisms in the water such as algae, plankton and bacteria which clean the environment and oxygenate the water.
If climate change gets out of hand by placing too much stress on our environment, it will require extra effort to return our climate to sustainable preindustrial levels. We need to protect the biodiversity of the planet in particular our waterways and forests to protect wildlife and marine life. We have some work to do to restore sustainability to our planet. We need a balance between the built and the natural environments. To reach sustainability we need to reach an activation energy and put in place a sustainable environment.
We need to refrain from exceeding the planet’s ability to heal itself. Ideally we should return the planet to a sustainable balance. Time is of the essence. We need to reach sustainable levels as quickly as possible. This will be achieved by people taking individual responsibility for the goal of environmental sustainability, helping our neighbours and international cooperation.
Spruce Day celebrates the principle of making our world a more beautiful place and sustainable for our lives on the planet. We go about achieving this through individual and communal effort. As Dr. Suzuki stated, as a global community we have enough for every one. We pulled together to get through COVID. We need to pull together to preserve and sustain our lives on the planet.
We ask you to go one step further than just making it Earth Day every day. As we embrace the theme for this year’s Earth Day, Our Power, Our Planet, we encourage you to take up your individual and collective power and to make it Spruce Day every day.
Clean and Green is our strategy. Remember one piece a day sends the rubbish away. Don’t just clean, let’s Spruce.
Cheers,
Felicity
Clean and green is our strategy. Remember: one piece a day sends the rubbish away! Don’t just clean let’s Spruce.
www.thespruceinitiative.info
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