by Trang Bach
Can you imagine that before 1970 it was perfectly legal to dump tons of toxic waste into a nearby stream? There was no legislation to prevent such acts or to stop big companies from pumping dark clouds of fumes into the air. Concerned about Earth’s fate, Senator Gaylord Nelson of Wisconsin decided to create Earth Day as a way to celebrate planet Earth while bringing attention to the environment. His purpose was to rally people to improve our environment and preserve our natural resources. On April 22, 1970, an estimated 20 million people participated in Earth Day. Since then, Earth Day has become a global event and is celebrated in over 192 countries each year. Millions of people continue to come together to celebrate the earth and promote sustainable activities because of the foresight of Senator Nelson.
This year, Earth Day Marin 2013 Festival will take place on Sunday, April 21, from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at Redwood High School in Larkspur. It will be a fun, free, family-friendly event and a day of action on climate change solutions. There will be speakers, comedy, music, local organic food and hands-on activities, including Sea Party, a carnival for kids developed by Greenwood School 7th and 8th graders. This event will take place rain or shine. For more information visit earthdaymarin.org.
MMWD will have a booth at Earth Day Marin. Stop by and visit and we’ll give you some tips on water conservation and tell you about our upcoming Marin-Friendly Garden Tour on May 18. Let’s conserve and preserve our lovely planet!
Think Blue Marin 