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It’s been 52 years since the first Earth Day Celebration was held on April 22, 1970. And a lot has taken place since that initial first step.
This year the theme for Earth Day 2022 is “Invest in our Planet.”
How can you invest in the planet, you ask? Small steps.
Some ideas listed on the Earth Day website include start compositing, build a garden, plant trees, use reusable grocery bags, invest in a reusable water bottle, make a bird feeder for your yard…
Some folks will adopt a section of highway to keep clean, others will choose to leave their vehicle home and walk more, some will refuse to use plastic bags or plastic straws. Small steps.
On a larger scale, the first Earth Day in 1970 led to passage of many environmental laws in the U.S., including the Clean Air, Water Act, Endangered Species Act, and the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency. Progress has been made in reducing overfishing through the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. More progress has been made to restore wetlands, forests, and preserving natural areas.
Locally Earth Day has been a time to join together and clean up the Grand Marais harbor beach. While there are no set plans to do so this year, the beach will be there for the cleaning when the snow and ice finally leaves.
Still, there is a local Earth Day celebration hosted by the Cook County Local Energy Project (CCLEP) and the Cook County Climate Team. Festivities start at 4:30 p.m. on April 22 at the Cook County Community Center in Grand Marais. This will be a chance, say the organizers, “to hear about efforts to unify and develop community action towards climate justice as stewards of our Earth together!”
This will be a chance to learn, to reflect on the large and small steps taken to preserve the planet and decide which steps you will take to make the planet an everyday care and reason to celebrate. One small step at a time.
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