Remembering Earth Every Day

Tomorrow marks the 30th anniversary of Earth Day--the international holiday designated to preserve and celebrate the world's natural wonders. When Earth Day was founded in 1970, the environment was a non-issue in the politics of our nation and--from the ranks of the presidency to the agenda of the press--the issues of preserving and celebrating our natural world were essentially ignored. The environmentalists of the day realized that a unifying event was necessary to focus national attention on the environment. The idea for the holiday began amidst Vietnam protests and peaceful activist rebellions. It was first conceived, according to Earth Day founder and Senator Gaylord Nelson, as a "nation-wide teach-in for the environment."

Since the 1970s, there has been an explosion of grassroots organizations and the issue of the environment has been brought to the forefront of our national agenda. And there exists a plethora of opportunities to participate in Earth Day-related events--both tomorrow and throughout the year. This weekend, the WBOS radio station will sponsor its 7th annual Earthfest, a concert and food festival whose power will be completely supplied through renewable resources. Nearby Springfield is hosting their 10th annual Earth Day Clean Up. Manchester, New Hampshire is to host a "One World, One People" Earth Day festival, complete with guest speakers, exhibits, and a solar-powered sound system. Even that dreadful outer-city ghetto, New Haven, Connecticut has devoted this past week to promoting awareness of the environment through the arts and sciences.

As Earth Day draws near, we should all reevaluate our lifestyles and determine what measures we can take in our daily activities--from recycling to conserving--that would help preserve and improve our environment. Regardless of how we celebrate Earth Day tomorrow, we should remember our duty to celebrate and protect the environment with every day regularity.