Earth Day scheduled for April 22, but should take place every day of the year
By Jennifer Kneuss
April 19, 2011
267
Summary:
In large ways and small ways, take the time this Earth Day to do something extra for the environment. Local environmentalists offer up practical ideas for doing so.
Earth Day 2011 falls on Friday, April 22. The theme for this year is A Billion Acts of Green, and people and organizations all over the world are taking part not only in large ways, but also in quiet, unnoticed ways that also have a significant impact on the environmental health of our earth.
Environmental artists will celebrate through Arts for the Earth, including t-shirt design, free Earth Day themed music downloads, and partnerships with museums. Athletes for the Earth is an organization joining Olympic and professional athletes with environmental stewardship. Women and the Green Economy (WAGE) is working to do a number of things, including to channel green investment to benefit women. The Canopy Project is an effort by Earth Day Network to plant over 1 million trees in 16 countries in reforestation efforts, just as they did in 2010.
These are all big scale projects. But there is much to be done on a much more local level to provide good stewardship of Earths resources.
Because of the Easter holiday weekend falling at the same time as Earth Day this year, we participated last weekend, explained Marsha Zoller of the Norma Johnson Center near Dover. We built bluebird boxes and rain barrels, and since we could not get outside due to the downpour, we cleaned out the pole barn that is used for our maintenance and programming.
The Tuscarawas County Sustainability network does not have any specific activities planned for April 22, but does many different things all year long to promote environmental responsibility.
We had Dave Cooper, from Lexington, Kentucky, come to the area to speak on mountaintop coal removal, and had Dr. Jerrold Hutton from Hocking College in to speak for a two hour session also. And we recently hosted an informational meeting on hydrofracking, noted local environmentalist Eric Reip, who continues to be instrumental in the network. Reip also pointed out that area residents were encouraged to participate in a worldwide lights-out program on Saturday, March 26, from 8:30 to 9:30 pm.
Our neighbors to the west, the Wayne County Sustainable Energy Network, was part of a Sustainability Fair at Wooster ATI on April 19, Reip pointed out. The Wayne group has been helpful to our local group with participation and some programming. We also know that many of our local high school science teachers continue to incorporate environmental studies in their science classes.
Reip also mentioned that he has ideas on future programming on topics such as nuclear power, trees, light pollution, and the certified LEED Habitat for Humanity house in Canton.
Upcoming environmental events at the Norma Johnson Center include a May 7 Migratory Bird Day hike, and a Bluebird Banding Day on May 28. Banding allows the Ohio Department of Natural Resources and others follow the lifecycles of these birds. The Center is also featuring bird rehabilitation specialist Nancy Owen at its April 26 annual meeting.
Earth Day is also a good day to help out the countys Litter Prevention and Recycling Offices efforts to clean up trash, added Zoller. I cannot believe the amount of trash laying around out there this spring. Put it in a bag, keep it in your car until you get home, and throw it away appropriately. In whatever activities you do, take your children along with you, and explain what you are doing and why you are doing it.
Earth Day is all about giving back, Zoller concluded. Sometimes we take advantage of what the Earth actually gives us on a daily basis. In celebrating Earth Day, it makes us realize that we can do something. We dont have to do it just this week, but we can do it everyday. We can do this through recycling, picking up trash, planting a tree, starting composting, or even reading a book about the environment. Get outside and play. Take a hike. Give back to the Earth.
