Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Earth Day is Every Day!!

Earth Day is Every Day

Even though we celebrate Earth Day on April 22nd each year, we should take a step forward to make Earth Day every day!

Earth Day began on April 22, 1970, which was the idea of former US Senator Gaylord Nelson (D-WI). The idea was modeled off anti-Vietnam War demonstrations called “teach-ins.” “On April 22, 1970, 20 million people, 2,000 colleges and universities, 10,000 grammar and high schools and 1,000 communities mobilized for the first nationwide demonstrations on environmental problems.” (http://www.nationalcenter.org/EarthDay09History.html)

This year Earth Day has a theme of “Billion Acts of Green®. The hope with this theme is to have one billion acts of environmental service around the world that will help to commit to reducing carbon emissions and promote sustainability, as well as demonstrating the effects that small individual acts can have on going green.

To help out with this year’s theme, do something fun and engaging such as organizing an Earth Day clean-up in a neighborhood park, ride your bicycle or walk to school or the store, wash your laundry in cold water, just to name a few.

There are many local events that you can take part in, however, on Thursday, April 21 @ 7:00 p.m. attend the “Celebrate the Day-Before-Earth Day!” at Malaprop’s Bookstore/CafĂ©, 55 Haywood Street in downtown Asheville. Meet Yuri Koslen from the City of Asheville Transportation Department; Rachel Rogers from the City of Asheville Office of Sustainability; and Barry Lawson from Curbie Curbside Management. Learn how to better take advantage of Asheville’s recycling, water conservation, and public transportation options in honor of Earth Day!

Remember Earth Day is Every Day!!