Earth Day is April 22

Splash through a creek? Wander in the desert? Veer off the beaten path? What are you doing for Earth Day?

You work hard to practice environmental stewardship on a daily basis. Recycling, composting, conserving water, planting, picking up litter are things that you already do every day.

Where did Earth Day come from anyway?

Earth Day was conceived in 1969 by Sen. Gaylord Nelson, D-Wisconsin, and his assistant Dennis Hayes, after a trip they took to Santa Barbara, following the devastating oil spill off the Southern California coast. According to the story, the men were so outraged by what they saw that upon returning to Washington, D.C., Nelson introduced a bill designating April 22 as a national day to celebrate the Earth. The date was chosen to help commemorate the birth of famed naturalist and conservationist John Muir, who was born on April 21, 1838. (Reprinted from www.calrecycle.ca.gov) 

This year, 2017, is the 48th year of Earth Day. There are lots of events that are planned throughout the month of April in communities around the world.

 Where ever your day ends up taking you, go and celebrate and be a defender of the natural world!

“A nation that destroys its soils destroys itself. Forests are the lungs of our land, purifying the air and giving fresh strength to our people. ” – Franklin Delano Roosevelt