Earth Day 2015

Earth Day 1970 achieved a rare political alignment, enlisting support from Republicans and Democrats, rich and poor, city slickers and farmers, tycoons and labor leaders. 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."

source:  http://www.earthday.org/earth-day-history-movement

While I was definitely alive and a functioning adult in 1970, I really do not remember much about that April day 45 years ago.  My husband was driving a 1961 Ford Falcon to work each day, a 70 mile round trip.  The car had no air conditioned, was a stick shift 6 cylinder not a huge gas guzzler.  He would arrive home quite warm in the Texas hot afternoons.  Later he needed a pickup truck.  It was a guzzler to make the long daily commute.  Cheap gas disappeared, up to 57 cents a gallon and carpools began.  Then came the 'gas shortage and long lines.'

In 1970 the term acid rain began being used much more often.  Originally observed in 1867 "by Robert Angus Smith, an English scientist. Smith observed that acidic precipitation could damage plants and materials", per the EPA website on acid rain.  The Clean Air Act passed in 1963 has been revised through the decades.  Congressional driven studies have helped in identifying the areas where we need to clean up our acts!

On Earth Day 2015 we did this:  

• awoke in our cool apartment thanks to electricity provided by wind power.  A few cents more but I like no acid in lakes except as naturally exists
• drove our hybrid Cmax as we ran several errands
• put the bed forts together we has made for our two grandsons.  Had used mostly left over fabric from my Mom's and my stash
• carried cardboard boxes and packing materials from our son's home to the recycling center on our way back home
• i failed to put compostable materials in my worm bin as the worms ran/wiggled away over the winter : (    note to self, buy more worms
• all recyclable items used were placed in our bins to be carried to the center on our next trip out.

We have worked to clean up our use habits.  Now if we can just get less packing around the items we buy.  That is how things have changed in the last 45 years.  Recycling is the norm in lots of homes.  There is less emissions and better gas mileage.  I am pleased to live in a nation than can and will respond to these needed changes.  The question is do we as a nation have the corporate will to take the next steps?  Will we leave the next generation in a better environment than exists today?

Want to see how others spent Earth Day 2015?  Then let your fingers walk on over by clicking here.

Thanks to The Spin Cycle Host Ginny Marie