Happy Birthday, Earth Day!
By Pat Ellis
April 22, 1970 is considered to be the start of the modern environmental movement in the US. We know it as Earth Day, and this year we celebrate its 55th birthday. It was the brain child of Senator Gaylord Nelson, who hoped his idea for a national teach-in would send a clear message to Washington that there was abundant support for a bold agenda to regenerate our polluted environment.
The success of the idea, however, was directly attributable to the spontaneous response it received at the grassroots level, with enthusiastic participation from students of all ages, educators, churches, community organizations, and environmental organizations united in a common goal. Schools became the most common site for Earth day, with an estimated 10 million students participating at all levels.
Locally, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute was the site of that first gathering. I was at RPI as a participant on that day, and it was the beginning of my education on how precious this earth and its resources are. It was also a lesson in the strength of people united and committed to make positive change. In the fall of that year, Congress began work that identified the 1970s as the “Environmental Decade” and established the bulk of today’s regulatory authority by passing 28 pieces of legislation, including The Endangered Species Act, The Occupational Health and Safety Act, and the Safe Drinking Water Act.
Nelson summed up the spirit of that day when he said,
“Our Goal is not just an environment of clean air and water and scenic beauty. The objective is an environment of decency, quality and mutual respect for all other human beings and all living creatures.”
That goal is as relevant today as it was then.
Things to do in the Albany region over the upcoming weeks to celebrate Earth Day.
Things to do as listed by and at HWFC! Scroll down the page for the annual E-waste collection and Clothing swap!
5 Earth-Friendly Habits You Can Adopt Right Now:
Support Local Farmers. We love local—we work with over 150 farms within 100 miles. You can also support farmers directly by joining a CSA: buy a farm-share in spring, when overhead is at its highest for farmers, and enjoy fresh, local, and organic produce (some include meat and dairy, too!) all season long. For a list of CSAs from our vendors, see here.
Rethink Your Need for New. Next time you find yourself browsing the web for things you didn’t know you wanted, think twice. Use what you have, borrow instead of buying, buy used, and when you do shop, do so with intention: carefully chosen and high quality items last longer, and you’re less likely to get sick of them before their time. Your local Buy Nothing group is a great resource (buynothingproject.org) for a hyper-local gift economy.
If It’s Broke, Fix It. This ties into #2. Rather than tossing something out because it’s worn or broken, see if you can mend, reuse, or otherwise restore it. If not, see if you can rehome it. Disposing should be a last resort.
Eat Less Meat. Challenge yourself to enjoy more meals made up of veggies, grains, fruits, and responsibly-sourced dairy. Start with Meatless Mondays or try going vegan or vegetarian for a week. When you do eat meat, see #1.
Reduce Food Waste. We are living in an unusual time that is providing an opportunity to learn to be creative and resourceful. Utilize the ‘scraps’ (sauté those beet greens, save mirepoix scraps or bones in your freezer for stock later), dress up and eat your leftovers, and buy veggies that store well. Cabbage is your friend, you can always count on carrots, and nothing beats beets! 🥕
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