Show I E Earth Day B g s A Awareness ar ss Katie Weaver Contributing Writer Thursday April i is Earth Day Earth Day is a time fo for Americans to reflect on th the state of our environment said Carl Pope a Sie Sierra Siem a Club director Earth Day originated originate with former Senator Senate Gaylord Nelson aka a.k.a. Founder of Earth Day For several years it had hac been troubling me that th the state of our environment was was was' simply a non-issue non ir it iq the politics of the country said Nelson Nelson Before the idea of a rail rally came to Nelson he was speaking on environmental issues around the country Everyone noticed the problem problem problem lem with environmental degeneration except for forthe forthe forthe the political establishment establishment establishment establish establish- ment he said It occurred to him in 1969 how he would bring the environmental issues into the political main main- stream While ile on a speaking speaking speaking speak speak- ing tour he had the idea of organizing a huge grassroots grassroots grassroots grass grass- roots rally for the environ environ- ment In September 1969 Nelson announced at a conference that a nationwide nationwide nationwide nation nation- wide rally would be held in in 1970 The first Earth Day brought over 20 million Americans from college campuses and around the countr country Americans responded because of the concern they j had about what hat was happening to the 1 iw fair r Jm dand i s and aIr And Ana the me concern AA 4 Vl was finally addressed Now Earth Day is filled with environmental education education education tion action and change It is is full of or activities like ups clean-ups concerts and conferences which influence influence influence ence local communities to look closely at environmental environmental environmental environ environ- mental problems Earth Day is just one day a year but many observe Earth Week week of April or even April as Earth Month On q Thursday the activities around the community community community com com- will include a speaker panel at the Hinckley Hinckley Institute of Politics at pm p.m. featuring featuring ing the Environmental Politics of Utah Senator Greg Bell Representative B Buffmire and more Utah GARDENS Gardens Achieving Resourcefulness' Resourcefulness Diversity Education Neighborhood Safety will have plantings youth activities and gardening gardening gardening gar gar- dening classes on Earth Day at their community garden locations Saturday April atthe at atthe atthe the Library Plaza on South and E E. in Salt Lake there will be environmental environmental environmental environ environ- mental booths activities and a recycled fashion show The events being held on onor onor onor or around Earth Day help people become more aware of the environment But there are things that people should take into consideration consideration tion for the rest of the year and for the rest of their lives Reduce Reuse and Recycle Reduce by consuming less or throwing away less People can reduce by purchasing purchasing purchasing pur pur- chasing long-lasting long goods or seeking products and packaging that dont dont don't con- con JI lain I iW materials b Reuse items by repairing p i ng them using them more than once or donating them Reusable items include clothes water bot bot- tIes grocery bags etc Recycle materials that can be recycled paper plastic glass and many more Recycling 0 turns materials that could could otherwise otherwise otherwise other other- wise be waste into other useable materials Recycling reduces the need for new landfills reduces pollution and saves energy and raw mate mate- rials For example Recycling aluminum cans save rainforests from further further further fur fur- ther destruction because those areas are often mined for bauxite the mineral used to make aluminum Adopting these three Rs also helps preserve the worlds world's natural resources The earth will continue to regenerate its life sources only as long as we and all the people of the world do their part to conserve conserve conserve con con- serve its natural resources said President Gerald Ford after announcing Earth Day It is a responsibility which every human being shares Utah ranked second in inthe inthe inthe the United States for toxic chemicals released into the environment in 2003 according to the Deseret Morning News To contribute contribute contribute con con- tribute to reducing this combine errands into one trip sometimes use public transportation bike or walk and try to avoid avoids s spilling illing gasoline or topping top top- topping ping off the tank of your vehicle Earth can not support the rate at which we are consuming resources Earth Day serves to remind us of the things which we usually ignore in in our dayt dayto day- day t to t day tiM s saidy id Vincent its Lizzi Lizzi of f Te Temple pl University iv rs in Philadelphia Earth Day also serves to remind us to tomake tomake tomake make choices that are beneficial beneficial beneficial ben ben- to the environment |