By BJ Cothran
Photos from Earth Day Network

Tuesday, April 22 was the 39th Earth Day.  According to U. S. Earth Day Network—a nonprofit organization founded by the organizers of the original Earth Day in 1970—“more than 1 billion people participate in Earth Day activities, making it the largest secular civic event in the world.”

What started nearly four decades ago as a celebration of environmental awareness has grown into a worldwide movement.  A United States Senator from Wisconsin and environmental activist, Gaylord Nelson, called for an “environmental teach-in” that became the first Earth Day on April 22, 1970.  Over 20 million people participated that first year and this year over 500 million people and national governments in 175 countries will reportedly join in the observance.
In many towns and cities across America and throughout the world, Earth Day has evolved into Earth Week.  The point of the overall celebration is to get people involved.  Many Earth Day activities help educate everyone in what we can do to make a change in how we live to better protect our environment.  Others encourage ways to elicit policy changes and legislative action. 

But most importantly, Earth Day is a good time to start.  Change starts at home, the saying goes, so pick one thing you personally can change to help the environment.  I know, I know, we all have too much to do as it is, but try something small.  If we all did even just the smallest thing, it would make a difference in the overall effect on the environment.

Need some ideas for next year?  Here are a few that we all could and should consider:

1.  Use cloth napkins instead of so many paper towels.

2.  Use durable coffee mugs instead of disposable cups.

3.  Commute smart—share a ride, ask someone to go with you to—work, church, a social event, to pick up the kids, etc.  Every time you share a ride it does make a difference.

4.  Replace incandescent light bulbs with Energy Star qualified Compact Fluorescent light bulbs (CFL).  You’ve heard it before but it’s worth repeating, if every household in the United States replaced one light bulb with one CFL, it would prevent enough pollution to equal removing 1 million cars from our roads.  That’s a big deal!

5.  Turn off the water when you brush your teeth.

6.  Turn off the water when you shave.

7.  Reduce/reuse/recycle.  It’s not just a slogan, it’s practical and could save you time and money.

8.  Go online and type in Earth Day in your browser.  Hundreds of excellent websites will pop up.  You’ll find thousands of suggestions on how you can make a difference, what you can do at home or with your family, ways to live green, and many places to volunteer, or just for more information about organizations where you can get involved. 

So this week celebrate Earth Day 2008 with a billion other people.  It’s a good thing for the environment and that’s ultimately good for all of us.

*Facts for this article came from several sources including Earth Day Network and Wikipedia.
BJ is a freelance writer and the author of Topsail Island, a photographic collection from the early days of the island.  She’s also the publisher of Topsail Magazine, a local glossy that features articles about people and places on the island.

On a special note:  According to Wikipedia, the date has significant meaning in the following:

1.  It was the birthday of actor Eddie Albert.  “Because of Eddie Albert’s early work with environmental causes and groups, when International Earth Day was created, it was decided it must be held on April 22 because that is his birthday.”

2.  April 21 was the birthday of John Muir who founded the Sierra Club.  “This is not lost on organizers who thought that April 22 was Muir’s birthday.”

3.  April 22 is the birthday of the Julius Sterling Morton, the founder of Arbor Day, a national tree-planting holiday started in 1872.