As a side note… Earth Day’s 40th Anniversary

1970: Sidewalk Oil Spill

On the first Earth Day in 1970, protesters left oil in their wake as they rallied against offshore drilling in front of the U.S. Department of the Interior building in Washington, D.C.

Earth Day was the brainchild of Wisconsin senator Gaylord Nelson, who was upset at the scant attention political leaders paid to environmental issues. In 1970 more than 20 million people participated in protests across the country.

As of 2009 more than a billion people around the world participate each year in Earth Day activities, according to the Earth Day Network. Here are just a few things you can do to help celebrate Earth Day…

• Take public transportation, carpool or bike. Leaving your car at home twice a week can cut greenhouse gas emissions by 1,600 pounds per year.
• Allow grass clippings to stay on the lawn, instead of bagging them. The cut grass will decompose and return to the soil naturally.
• During hot weather, don’t top off your gas tank. Even a small gas spill adds to air pollution and wastes fuel.
• Run your dishwasher only when it’s full. Don’t pre-rinse dishes – tests show pre-rinsing doesn’t improve dishwasher cleaning, and you’ll save as much as 20 gallons of water per load.
• A full bathtub requires about 70 gallons of water, but taking a five-minute shower saves water by using 10 to 25 gallons. Put a little timer or clock near your shower so you can see how fast you are.
• Help protect the environment when you shop. Keep reusable bags on your car seat or near your door so they are easy to grab when you go.
• Don’t trash it – reuse it! Be creative as you look for new ways to reduce the amount or kinds of household waste. Give cardboard tubes to pet hamsters or gerbils. Plant seeds in an egg carton. Make a flower pot out of a plastic ice cream tub. By thinking creatively, you will often find new uses for common items and new ways to recycle and reduce waste.