The first Earth Day was celebrated 53 years ago, on April 22, 1970, and has its roots in Santa Barbara. Gaylord Nelson, a US Senator from Wisconsin, founded it after witnessing the impact of a massive oil spill in Santa Barbara, California. At that time, it was the largest oil spill in US history and still ranks at number three, behind only the Deepwater Horizon and Exxon Valdez oil spills. Mr. Gaylord’s vision was to have a “national teach-in on the environment” and energize the public to protect the environment by addressing water and air pollution concerns. Over 20 million Americans participated in that first Earth Day celebration, uniting many in a common cause that had been previously fragmented over several specific environmental concerns.
This year, Earth Day celebrations span the month of April and focus on how we can celebrate and protect our beautiful planet every day, making each day Earth Day. Earth Day can no longer be just a single day dedicated to cleaning up our oceans and reducing plastic use, but rather lifestyle changes that include educating ourselves on our choices. There are opportunities to learn about climate change, protecting public lands, as well as ongoing conservation and biodiversity projects. Or discover how everyday choices, including what we wear, eat, choose to throw away, and how we travel, affect our environment.
Earth Day is also an opportunity to begin having discussions with our family, friends, and neighbors and come together in cooperation. To discuss ideas of how change might look for everyone and how it can happen, even if only one step at a time. Some of these discussions may be challenging, and some choices difficult, but it is necessary to make the time to have the conversations, become educated and make the choices. The reality is we have been blessed to live in a world we have been gifted with its many natural wonders and incredible resources. With that gift, we have also been given a responsibility. The responsibility to take care of it so that our grandchildren’s great-grandchildren will have a place to call home. No matter where you are, we ask you to join us in this effort because you can make a difference with your choices, and together we can save our beautiful home we call Earth.
Here are a few of the local opportunities to celebrate and learn. AAUW is hosting a conversation with Land Trust of Santa Barbara County Director, Meredith Hendricks, on Monday, 4/17/23, 7PM at the Lompoc Library Grossman Gallery, with plans to post a recording of the presentation for those not able to attend. On Wednesday, April 19, Cabrillo High School Aquarium will have activities from 6PM-8PM, showcasing how each of us can make our home a better place for all living things. Additionally, Saturday, April 22, from 2PM-8PM, Route One Farmers Market is sponsoring an Earth Day celebration at Cold Coast Brewing Company. You can also visit sbearthday.org to learn more about the events in Santa Barbara County, including the Earth Day Festival scheduled for 4/27/22 at Alameda Park in Santa Barbara, or earthday.org to see what is happening worldwide. We invite you to attend at least one of these many opportunities via the links below to learn how you can make a difference for Mother Earth every day because together, we can.
Sources-
https://lompocvandenberg-ca.aauw.net
https://www.cabrillohighschoolaquarium.org/open-house-dates
https://healthylompoc.org/post/March-2023-Healthy-Happenings-Newsletter-exist