April 22 is the 50th anniversary of Earth Day.
The seed of Earth Day began with Wisconsin Sen. Gaylord Nelson.
After a decade of failing to interest his Senate colleges in environmental legislation, he turned to the people. The idea spread across the states and on April 22, 1970 an estimated 20 million turned out to save the earth.
This huge uprising sent a message to the politicians that could not be ignored. Spurred on by Sen. Nelson, many of our most important environmental protection legislation was enacted: the Clean Water Acts, the National Wild and Scenic Rivers Act, the Federal Pesticides Act, the Clean Air Act, the Environmental Education Act, the National Hiking Trails and the National Scenic Trails Acts, and the founding the EPA.
This momentum has continued; there are recent laws that will have a far-ranging impact; the plastic bag ban and microbead ban will have a positive effect, particularly on waterbodies and oceans.
New York enacted an aggressive climate change statute in 2019 that will require a statewide lowering of total greenhouse-gas emissions by 85 percent by 2050, offsetting the remaining 15 percent by reforestation, restoring wetlands, carbon capturing or other green projects, and generating 70 percent of the state’s electricity by renewable sources by 2030.
Due to the pandemic, this year there are digital Earth Day events.
The main Earth Day website is Earthday.org, and if you search on Earth Day there are digital events around the world.
The pandemic is also giving us a picture of human impact. Around the globe, air pollution has dropped as many countries locked down. Unfortunately, this is temporary and won’t have a lasting impact on climate change.
Covid-19 deaths have been higher in areas with air pollution, which has lowered overall respiratory health.
The first Earth Day in 1970 marked the beginning of the modern environmental movement and has become a worldwide event.
Over the last 50 years, Earth Day has taken many forms and that was what Sen. Nelson envisioned; a grassroots movement of people taking charge and acting to protect the lands and waters dear to them.
This year brings Earth Day home. Though planned local celebrations like the Port Washington Public Library and Sands Point Preserve have had to cancel, there are many things you can do to make your life greener from practical to creative.
Commit to greening your yard:
1. Use a 10 percent nitrogen 50 percent soluble fertilizer on your lawn and compost to feed your plants.
2. Add some clover to your lawn – it fixes nitrogen into the soil and feeds the grass.
3. Use a mulching mower.
4. Don’t fertilize more than needed and not when rain is in the forecast.
5. Keep litter, leaves, clippings and runoff water out of the street or it will end up in a bay or stream.
6. Observe watering restrictions, make sure sprinklers are not running off or hitting the road.
7. Make sure outdoor lighting doesn’t shine up, light pollution is a real thing
8. Plant native flowers, grasses or trees, they require less water and fertilizer and sustain native birds and wildlife. The North Shore Audubon benefit Native plant sale is still on with appointment pick up. You can find the order form and lots of information here: https://northshoreaudubon.org/werp/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Mar_Apr_May_2020CovidB.pdf
Change your diet
9. Try a new vegetarian recipe. Switching to a plant-based diet is one of the top individual actions people can take to address climate change
10. Cook an entrée made from plant-based proteins like legumes, seeds, grains or nuts
11. Research joining a CSA this summer (Community Supported Agriculture)
12. Chose a Fair Trade, shade-grown coffee
13. Recycle scraps – freeze veggie scraps and bones until you have enough to make soup stock. 30 percent of food is wasted globally across the supply chain, contributing 8 percent of total global greenhouse gas emissions.
Lower Consumption and Waste
14. Unplug vampire electricity users, especially chargers
15. Use rags instead of paper towels
17. Turn heat down to 60 at night
18. Only run full loads of laundry or dishes
19. No random internet searches – only search for specific necessary pieces of information – and no online shopping
20. No electronics; take a walk, garden, play board games, make art
21. Turn off the water while brushing your teeth or washing dishes
22. Make sure your fridge, freezer, and dryer air vents are clean
23. Insulate accessible hot water pipes. The first 6 feet make the most difference.
24. Ask yourself, “Do I need this or just want it?”
Get Creative!
25. Put up a bird feeder and learn to identify your backyard birds
26. Start a nature journal
27. Make a butterfly feeder; Mourning Cloaks, Cabbage Whites and Sulphurs have hatched
28. Take a walk around your yard or neighborhood, collect leaves and make a collage
Make Earth Day every day! The survival of the planet depends on each one of us doing our part.
