Welcome to the Positive Pulse blog! Check in with us each month for tips on healthy living, right on our website. A short snippet will be featured in the Positive Pulse monthly newsletter as well, which you can sign up for here.
We're back this month with some more tips on healthy living; this time our focus is on a special day that happens on April 22 every year: Earth Day! Earth Day was started in 1970 and has a rich history leading up to the present day. There are many activities you can participate in to celebrate on Earth Day each year and beyond.
The First Earth Day
- Senator Gaylord Nelson, the junior senator from Wisconsin, had long been concerned about the deteriorating environment in the United States. Then in January 1969, he and many others witnessed the ravages of a massive oil spill in Santa Barbara, California.
- He announced the idea for a teach-in on college campuses to the national media, and persuaded Pete McCloskey, a conservation-minded Congressman, to serve as his co-chair. They recruited Denis Hayes, a young activist, to organize the campus teach-ins and they choose April 22, a weekday falling between Spring Break and Final Exams, to maximize the greatest student participation.
- Recognizing its potential to inspire all Americans, Hayes built a national staff of 85 to promote events across the land and the effort soon broadened to include a wide range of organizations, faith groups, and others.
- They changed the name to Earth Day, which inspired 20 million Americans — at the time, 10% of the total population of the United States — to take to the streets, parks and auditoriums to demonstrate against the impacts of 150 years of industrial development which had left a growing legacy of serious human health impacts. Now it's your turn to contribute!
Volunteer to Clean Your Local Area
- Each Earth Day, local communities pull together to pick up trash, recycle, and clean communal areas.
- Find an event like this is your city or town and volunteer your time and energy! It’s a great way to meet people, have some fun, and beautify your hometown all at once.
- Not sure where to look? Try calling or visiting your township building, asking around at your place of worship or community center, search by location on VolunteerMatch.org, or find special Earth Day events near you listed on Eventbrite.
Donate Hours to an Environmental Protection Organization
- The Nature Conservancy is an organization that works to do improve our environment across the globe with several initiatives. The Nature Conservancy works on tackling climate change, protecting land and water, providing food and water through more sustainable efforts, and even building healthy cities around the world. Find volunteer opportunities in your community here.
- Point Blue Conservation Science is an organization of scientists that partner with fishermen, ranchers, farmers, and local governments to help reduce the devastating effects of climate change and habitat loss. They also focus on developing nature-based solutions to benefit both humans and animals alike. They are dedicated to innovative conservation science and "applying our scientific knowledge to make life better for birds, other wildlife, and all of us who share the planet with them." Learn how you can engage with Point Blue Conservation Science here.
- The Sierra Club uses a combination of grassroots efforts and philanthropic partnerships to help their 3.5 million members promote conservation initiatives and climate solutions to better our environment. Their four main initiatives are centered around: climate and energy; lands, air, water and wildlife; and people and justice. See how you can get involved with the Sierra Club today.
Protect Bird Wildlife
- The American Bird Conservancy has been in existence for over 20 years and works to protect extremely rare birds, conserve and protect important bird habitats, reduce major threats to avian wildlife, and build a national community of bird conservationists across the United States. They use a variety of conservation programs to help restore bird habitats, such as restoring land, planting trees, and governmental policy work. See how you can get involved with the American Bird Conservancy by educating others to live a more bird-friendly lifestyle, joining the Bird Conservation Alliance, building bird-friendly glass, and more.
- You could also look into the National Audubon Society, which is well-known for its American avian conservation programs. The National Audobon Society works tirelessly to protect both birds and their natural habitats throughout America with "science, advocacy, education, and on-the-ground conservation". Today, the National Audobon Society has 23 state programs, 41 nature centers, and almost 500 local chapters that work together to inform, educate, and inspire millions of people about bird wildlife conservation. This year, spend your Earth Day by getting involved and volunteering at your local Audubon center, or by taking action on behalf of the Audobon Society through a number of different initiatives found here.
Looking for more? You can fine more ideas here!
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