It's April 22nd, my favorite day of the year!

This special day was created over 30 years ago in 1970, when 20 million Americans opened their eyes to the mess they were making of our planet. Once the veil of complacency was lifted and action was taken, the nation started to see positive change in the health of the environment.

Have you ever seen that bird with the large talons on the back of an old quarter? Well that's our national bird, the Bald Eagle, and it was near extinction nearly three decades ago. It was dying due to a pesticide known as DDT that was weakening its eggs and therefore putting a halt to its reproduction.

Thanks to heightened awareness, DDT was banned in the U.S. in 1972. As an indirect result, Bald Eagles were removed from the endangered species list in 1996.

To me, Earth Day is a symbol of awakening and hope. Although I feel that the earth should be respected and cared for everyday, it is most definitely a step in the right direction. People can get together and plant a tree, pick up trash, walk to work or wear their favorite hippy organic cotton t-shirt with the huge tree on it – you know the one I'm talking about!

What else can you do? Tutor online. Educate yourself from home and save a trip in the car. You can take it even further by viewing the recorded interactive sessions rather than taking notes! Additionally, connect with a natural sciences tutor and ask how you can make your lifestyle more "green".

So what is my contribution on Earth Day? Education. And I encourage all my readers to take the online ecological footprint quiz and then give up one thing that is damaging to the environment.

The people in this office have contributed by giving up Styrofoam cups. Sure, they may hold a small grudge against me or feel a twinge of annoyance when they go to the kitchen for a cup of coffee, since I was partially responsible for the ban, but I think they have forgiven me. Right?

Photo courtesy of: http://www.rtpi.org.uk/environment_planning_and_protection_network/

Sign in to rate