Each year, Earth Day, April 22, marks the anniversary of what many consider the birth of the modern environmental movement in 1970. The idea came to Earth Day founder Gaylord Nelson, then a U.S. Senator from Wisconsin, after witnessing the ravages of the 1969 massive oil spill right here in my hometown of Santa Barbara, California. On January 28, 1969, an oil platform six miles off of Santa Barbara’s coast ruptured, sending 80,000 to 100,000 barrels of crude oil into the Santa Barbara Channel over the next 10 days. The oil spread from Goleta to Ventura, killing thousands of sea birds, as well as dolphins, elephant seals, and sea lions.
The Silver Linings, you ask? The first Earth Day led to the creation of the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the passage of the Clean Air, Clean Water, and Endangered Species Acts. “It was a gamble,” Gaylord recalled, “but it worked.”
Earth Day is now a globally celebrated holiday that is intended to raise awareness about a wide range of environmental issues and problems, and to inspire people to take personal action to address them. I’ve really enjoyed the stories and images around the blog this week in preparation for Earth Day.
What are you doing on Earth Day?
Rodale’s 10 Food Rules for Earth Day
One King’s Lane‘s Live. Love. Home’s Going Green with Danny Seo
Bird Light Wind’s What’s Up
Sprinkles Earth Day Cupcakes
Sloan Barnett’s Green Goes with Everything: Simple Steps to a Healthier Life and Cleaner Planet (one of my FAVORITE books!)
70 Degrees West’s The Golden Hours
Community Environmental Council’s Energy Case Studies
Vogue’s Green Matters: Earth Day Beauty Initiatives
The Family Dinner’s Green Tip: Quick Silver Polishing
Draw and Shoot’s Always Wear Your Rubber Boots
Wow! I really enjoyed this post. Excellent links, Hollye. Happy Earth Day to you! For part of the day, I'll be sharing information about InspireHealth Integrative Cancer Care at our local Choices Market (a smaller and Canadian version of Whole Foods). If weather permits, I'll be out in the garden too. Hope you have a wonderful day!
Thanks so much, Kim. As always!
I'm super excited to hear that you are involved in the InspireHealth program. How fabulous!
To celebrate and recognize Earth Day, I encouraged my third grade students to create and construct games related to reduce, reuse, recycle concepts. They devised board games and concentration games to play and developed rules and challenges appropriate for kindergarteners. Upon completion of their projects, they were allowed to go to a K-classroom and present and play their game. SILVER LINING….they used items from our classroom recycle container to create the games.
Creativity+writing+math+communication+collaboration+FUN=love your MOTHER EARTH.
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This is so fabulous, Diane! What fortunate children they are to have you as their teacher!