Author Topic: 40th Anniversary of Earth Day. What are you doing to Celebrate the Date?  (Read 7000 times)

marypyrs

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So. The 40th Anniversary of Earth Day is upon us April 22, 2008. What are you doing/have you done on this special day? I'm one of those Tree Hugging/Owl Loving/Clean Water Wacko's as some call me. But all in all, and although I practice my convictions 365 days a year, I hold this day as one of my most special. My most favorite memory was traveling out to Hinton WV by Amtrac to take part in the clean up after the horrible flooding of the Greenbrier and New River when my Son was at the New River Gorge after his first leg of Post Grad.

Plant a tree. Plant a hundred trees. Clean up a road way. A beach. Each and everything helps so much. What are your plans? What are your stories? One by one times thousands make such a difference to this Mother. Our Earth.

Fourty years ago I helped clean Brighton Beach just outside Duluth, MN. I remember it well. ;)

Offline People Whisperer

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I will plant a tree and re-plant all of my house plants (about 30 :o) and then I will walk around the neighborhood and pickup garbage and dog poop ;D Hubby will be helping too :)
"To once own a Great Pyrenees is to love and want one always."
Mary W. Crane

I don't suffer from insanity; I enjoy every minute of it :)


Offline seaherons

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Every year Friends of Acadia sponsors an Earth Day Roaside Clean Up collecting cans, bottles and trash. Cirra's Dog Scout Troop will joining them this year helping with cleaning up poop in Acadia National Park. 

Offline BalthiesMom

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MaryPyrs, we must be kindred spirits...I love this question (and your Gandhi quote which is in my regular email sig)! :)

This year, my husband and I made a commitment to a fully vegetarian lifestyle, with intent to transition to vegan when/if we are able. Because factory farming (not talking about small, organic, mom n' pop farms here) is officially cited as the #1 source of global warming (it beats out car emissions by 40%!), I am making a very special effort to educate friends, family, neighbors, and our community about how taking on a plant-based diet is actually the single most effective environmental "green" action you can take!

In my work/career as a shop owner, I have made the commitment to selling as many earth-friendly products as possible.  This is something that has been a special strength to my store from the onset, but this April/May will mark a growth spurt of green action in the store...with expansions on the most earth-friendly products and lots of new additions.  I will also be implementing special benefits to customers who bring their own bag to reduce waste, and offering earth friendly literature year-round. I also plan to walk to work whenever weather permits me (though I must admit, this is a very close walk so it's not the same level of commitment as someone living further from their business). :)

I could go on and on...we have only one planet and it is shared across cultural, racial, religious, socio-economic, and all other boundaries. It strengthens us all to strengthen the earth. :)

Another favorite quote:

"Only when the last tree has died
and the last river has been poisoned
and the last fish been caught will we realize
we cannot eat money."

-Cree Proverb

Love & Tree Hugs,
Jen :)
"The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be measured in the way its animals are treated." Gandhi

You can lead a compassionate lifestyle by saving animal lives, caring for our planet, and nurturing your health!  Visit www.goveg.org

"Be the change you wish to see in this world." Gan

Offline Scootergirl

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My store (Starbucks) is sponsoring a fun-filled afternoon of activities. We are going to be helping kids plant flower seeds to take home, we are encouraging everyone who comes in to get their drink in our for-here serverware instead of the plastic and paper cups, we'll have our used coffee grounds available to take home to use in gardens and we'll be handing out some "green" literature!

Great thread!
"If you pick up a starving dog and make him prosperous, he will not bite you. This is the principle difference between dog and man." -- Mark Twain

marypyrs

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Hey guys! Glad to hear so many of you are on track.  :) Mother Nature has been playing an extended April Fools up here. The power just now came back on, as we are in the midst of a blizzard. (The Pyrs are LOVING IT!  ;) Horses - not so much.  :-\) TV, Radio, phone lines have all been down. Even my "crank radio" was out of commission.

Jenn, I have to tell you that a good part of my heart was left back in West Virginia. I was brought to tears with the beauty of it all. I was fortunate enough to have stayed in a cabin tucked up into a mountain overlooking Hinton. My Son was renting a home at the time along with two others friends & within walking distance from the cabin.

We took one day out of the time spent there to drive the winding roads and mountains to Blacksburg so I could meet some of Brett's Profs & friends. Once again. The beauty of it all pretty much brought me to my knees.

That's SO COOL what you are doing with the bees Jenn! What you are ALL doing day by day.

BalthiesMom - the Cree Proverb is one I also hold close.

One of these years I will go back out to West Virginia. I dream of it still.

Nicole

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Ohhhhhhhhh guys. Oooooh, boy. Ok. I'm so so so sorry, but I have to do this!!! I can't let it slip by without being um...corrected .

Ok, first of all, I am the Education Coordinator for the LaPorte County Soil and Water Conservation District. I'm livin' the Earth Day ethic EVERY day! Each and every day, I go out into the community and teach folks from toddlers to old folks about how to be good stewards of our environment. Besides that, I vermicompost, I recycle EVERYTHING, I'm using cloth diapers, I have a metal SIGG water bottle, I only buy used furniture to keep stuff out of the waste stream, I use cleaners like vinegar and kosher salt to prevent contamination of the ground water, I use native landscaping in my yard...

Ok. Enough of that. I'm pretty earth-friendly every day. This year, I will be participating in many Earth Day events as an advocate and educator. I will probably also be starting my garden right around that time. And Jenn...I'm totally jealous. I couldn't get the bee operation going this year yet. Just too much to do with the new house, the new baby, etc.

OK! Here it goes! The whole factory farming issue. We're going to tackle it together, OK ladies?

First of all, let me just say that I'm all for locally grown organic food. No question. I'm also a pretty well-balanced girl as far as most things are concerned.

Ok. First thing is first. The operations that you are calling "factory farms" have an actual, technical name. They are CAFO's or "Confined Animal Feeding Operations". They are heavily, HEAVILY regulated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and your state environmental management agencies as point-sources of pollution. This means that they must provide reports, nutrient management plans, many of them have to have test-wells to protect the ground water, etc. They have to have permits called NPDES permits. This means "National Pollution Discharge Elimination System".

Ok. I know that was a lot of regulatory jargon. The point is, your locally-owned organic farm does NOT have to have any permits. So, we just have to HOPE that that local farmer will do the right thing environmentall y. Let me tell you, he often doesn't. He often allows his cows in streams, where they erode stream banks, poop, pee, etc. They damage the biological communities. He may farm on land that is highly erodable, causing well, erosion.

My point is, you cannot lump all large farming operations into the category of "bad" or all small "mom and pop" operations into the category of "good". Size does not dictate enivronmental stewardship.

I could talk all day about this. But, I think that its very important that we all approach this with a balanced approach and try to be as educated as possible.

After all, that is my job, right? :)

marypyrs

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Ah yes. CAFO's AND the EPA. Two interesting areas of discussion, indeed. As of course would be something such as FDA. Correct? (We all know how these programs have been working do we not?) Very possibly with as much accreditation one to the other these past years.

I am in agreement that 'we' should approach said topics with as much extensive education as possible.

I always welcome a knowledgeable, and well rounded discussion.

Jane

Nicole

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I don't really know how to interpret your comments, Mary.

I think you might be making tongue in cheek comments about how ineffectual the EPA and the FDA are? Yeah?

I won't get into that point with you. My sole point was that if we are discussing Earth Day, we can't get all googly eyed and romantic about local farmers. Many of them are hard-core polluters that are really hard on the environment. Many of them are also awesome, but there are plenty that just don't have the money or concern to put conservation practices in on their land.


marypyrs

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You are free to interpret or construe my comments in any way you choose, Nicole. You are the one who brought up the ethnicity of EPA's validity in the reinforcement and overseeing thereof of Family Farming Vs Factory Farming .(Yes, it IS "Factory Farming" that you speak of.)

All that aside, and I would like nothing more than to have an intelligent discussion with you on the topic, I do not see nor have I seen any indication of anyone "Googly Eyed" or "Romantic" about these few posts regarding Earth Day.

You're way out of line. Think about it. What are you "supposed to be" striving for?

Jane 

Offline BalthiesMom

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Hey, Everyone!

Just clarifying here that while I cannot speak for anybody else here (gosh, I haven't even met them), I can notate that there is a difference between using the terms CAFO's and the phrase "factory farms."  I used the term factory farms as I meant it...was not referring to "all" farms or CAFO's in general...fact ory farm has a specific connotation and I used it in context to convey that as such.  As many here must know of course, the factory farms and the regulatory bodies who oversee the guidelines for them are under an increasing amount of scrutiny as the debate continues over what "healthy" limits and qualities go into producing "safe" or "good" food these days. Of course these farms are regulated, but so are public schools, healthcare, etc.  Being regulated does not always equal being "best."  For my husband and I *personally,* vegetarian eating...and locally grown foods...is the "best" choice for *us* and how we relate our choices to our environmental impact.

It's Earth Day everyday for many wonderful, caring, compassionate people who are well educated on the positive impact that a few caring personal choices can make! :) I send kudos and hearty applause to those who work in an environmental field as a career choice (as many, many of my close friends do, too)!  It's great to just keep in mind that there are many people who make it their *life's work* (career ***or*** otherwise) to treat our planet with consistent respect, love, and honor , and who are very well educated, informed, and involved with environmental "causes" ( a word that always seems so silly to me in these applications).  It's also important to remember that regardless of career placement and roles, *everyone* of us can have a tremendously positive impact on the way our planet is cared for.

Again, I cannot speak for anyone else, but for myself, I know where my food comes from (and from WHOM in many, many cases) and under what conditions these foods are grown.  Of course, that's absolutely NOT a blanket truth, and there are always exceptions to anything. Even so, many of the fruits and veggies I consume come from the cute little "farmer's market" in my town, which I walk to from my house, and where I personally know nearly all of the "farmers."  In most cases, they are my neighbors and people who grow in their own family gardens.

Just as Valentine's Day is not really "necessary" because in THEORY everyone should recognize their loved ones everyday, Earth Day in theory should be practiced each day of our lives. In PRACTICE, these days often end up providing an important boost and reminder to many people in our nation who may not be consciously focusing on *expressing* or *acting on* these core values of love and respect year-round (for people and planet). For them, Earth Day is an inspiration... a reminder...a fire under the proverbial butt! :) It is also a chance, as this thread's original question so beautifully embodies, to celebrate the ways that people create positive change by making positive choices. Whether someone switches to earth friendly cleaners in their home, turns a few more lights off, uses recycled water to quench their garden, cuts out plastic bottles and cutlery from their daily routine, or even just commits to getting "new" clothes from Goodwill instead of a department store, we all win...most of all, Mother Earth! :)

Again, as a new one here, I may just not have a clue what's going on (and let's be honest, maybe being here longer I wouldn't have a clue, either, LOL), but it seems to me this thread was created as a positive, inspiring reminder and notation of the great things we *can* choose to do for our earth. I say, mission accomplished.. .

Who else has something positive to share about a special choice or commitment to environmental responsibility this Earth Day?

Love and Tree Hugs to All!
Jen xoxo

 
"The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be measured in the way its animals are treated." Gandhi

You can lead a compassionate lifestyle by saving animal lives, caring for our planet, and nurturing your health!  Visit www.goveg.org

"Be the change you wish to see in this world." Gan

Offline GoldenPyrs

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[quote author=BalthiesMom link=topic=22643.msg276915#msg276915 date=1208035814

Just as Valentine's Day is not really "necessary" because in THEORY everyone should recognize their loved ones everyday, Earth Day in theory should be practiced each day of our lives. In PRACTICE, these days often end up providing an important boost and reminder to many people in our nation who may not be consciously focusing on *expressing* or *acting on* these core values of love and respect year-round (for people and planet). For them, Earth Day is an inspiration... a reminder...a fire under the proverbial butt! :) It is also a chance, as this thread's original question so beautifully embodies, to celebrate the ways that people create positive change by making positive choices. Whether someone switches to earth friendly cleaners in their home, turns a few more lights off, uses recycled water to quench their garden, cuts out plastic bottles and cutlery from their daily routine, or even just commits to getting "new" clothes from Goodwill instead of a department store, we all win...most of all, Mother Earth! :)

Again, as a new one here, I may just not have a clue what's going on (and let's be honest, maybe being here longer I wouldn't have a clue, either, LOL), but it seems to me this thread was created as a positive, inspiring reminder and notation of the great things we *can* choose to do for our earth. I say, mission accomplished.. .

Who else has something positive to share about a special choice or commitment to environmental responsibility this Earth Day?

Love and Tree Hugs to All!
Jen xoxo

 
[/quote]



You make some really good points, Jen!  Ok, as another life-long "tree hugger"  ;), here's what we're doing:

- My children & I are life-long vegetarians.  My reasons are primarily animal rights, but health & global concerns have always been a huge part of it for me, too.  My husband (who grew up in a family that ate meat at every meal) has become mostly vegetarian now also, after over 17 yrs of marriage.  Yes, I hear some of you saying "Poor guy" LOL  ;)  ;D but it was his choice and he says that he's quite happy with it.

- We buy organic produce & dairy products whenever possible.

- We have already started seeds sprouting indoors for our vegetable garden.  The seedlings will go outside after the last frost day.  We hope to grow nearly all of our own vegetables this summer.

- My husband telecommutes.

- I'm the pain in the tuckus in the family that goes around turning off lights constantly, though all of ours are fluorescent anyway.

- We had this house completely re-insulated when we bought it.  It's better for the planet, our pocket book, as well as our own comfort this way.

I applaud every one of you for your efforts, too.  It's true, every change either big or small, makes a difference.

Jane, thank you for starting this thread!  It's a great way to get us all thinking about what else we can do to help.  Good job!   ;D  :-*



« Last Edit: April 12, 2008, 06:08:37 pm by GoldenPyrs »
Marie

And my pups:
Daisy a 9 y/o Golden/Lab mix
Sammy a 6-7(?) y/o Great Pyrenees adopted 3/07
Cassie a 3 y/o Pyr/Mystery Snuggle Bunny mix adopted 2/07

My angel girls waiting at the Bridge:
Cara 1989-2001 Great Pyrenees
Sally ? - 1993 Dobie(rescued '92)
Halley 2002-2006 Great Pyrenees

Nicole

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I wasn't trying to start an argument, I was just trying to clarify some controversial and fine points.

I don't know what you mean by the ethnicity of the EPA? I think that there are probably a wide variety of ethnicities represented at that agency? Its a large federal agency with lots of offices, so I suppose so...

"Factory farming" has no technical meaning. Yes, there is a LOT of connotation there, like you said, but no denotation. As I work in this "industry" it is imperative that when I make a reference to something, it has a specific meaning. Once again, I acknowledge that some of it seems like jargon to those outside of the industry, but you are speaking with a particular bias (that I understand, by the way) when you say factory farm, and I'm speaking with a specific meaning when I say CAFO.

The important difference I'm trying to clarify here is the difference between what everyone is lumping into "environmental" or Earth Day related issues and what are actually more of health issues.

I think that its wonderful to shop at your local farmer's market, I do it! I walk there all summer long and select from the best locally grown foods that are in season and wonderful.

But the fact of the matter is that while regulation does not make anyone eco-friendly by any means, neither does being small and locally owned. That is all I'm trying to say. Just because you are buddies with your friendly neighborhood farmer does NOT mean that he/she is doing the right thing for the LAND. Listen, I work in a heavily agricultural area, and I work in a USDA office. The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is also located in my office. They are the ones responsible for administering farm bill programs.

There's a lot to get into there, but basically, the NRCS administers the conservation related programs that farmers can put on their lands. I have farmers in and out of my office all day long. Some of the sweetest, nicest most wonderful famers at the farmer's market grow awesome, organic healthy food, but its not ECO friendly as far as the land! They  might feed their cows grass (which is super important like Jenn said) and not give them hormones and anti-biotics, but if their cows are allowed access to the streams, they are still impairing biotic communities, adding sediment (the number 1 pollutant in waterways) to the stream, eroding streambanks, etc.

Do you see what I'm saying? YES, that is probably some dang healthy and tasty meat, and it is what I would prefer to be eating (if I ate much meat), but as far as the damage to the land, it is the same.

On a large farm, the meat is probably of lesser quality, but they are REQUIRED to put up exclusionary fencing to keep cows out of streams and that type of thing. Is the meat better or healthier? NO FREAKING WAY. Has the stream been kept in better shape? Possibly. Not guaranteed, but at least there is a mechanism in place to do so.

This is the only point I'm trying to make.

Well, that and please don't confuse the role of the federal agencies. The EPA is not responsible for regulating meat quality, the FDA is not responsible for making sure the cows don't destroy the land, etc. There is a log of interchanging and misunderstandi ng about these roles.

And one more question, Mary, if you don't mind. In what way am I "way out of line"?

*modified to ask Mary why I am out of line*
« Last Edit: April 13, 2008, 12:11:59 am by Nicole »

Nicole

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"Nicole, I fully understand that factory farming is not a technical term, but I was not being technical.   I use this term, like many others, in the same way that I use the term "McMansion" or "Soccer Mom" or "saint," lol...I don't think anyone here is confusing what I mean and thinking that I need to say something else instead...fact ory farm embodies the *emotional* context in the expression. It conveys a sense of condemnation for the abhorrent conditions that animals are held to in THOSE farms specifically.  There are ethics issues at hand as well as environmental, but that is off topic, (tee hee hee).  Although I don't eat meat, the local sources of meat where I live treat their animals completely differently than factory farms do...."

Hey!

I fully appreciate your sentiments here. I'm not saying that we don't know what you mean when you say factory farm. We do. Its just that it unfairly paints a picture of the small farm as being this pastoral, idyllic place where ol' Bessie is loved and adored and asked nicely to make us milk.

Also, I more than 100% agree with you about the local-ness. As a matter of fact, that is one sort of "pet peeve" I have about those that choose organic over locally grown. You can get something that is organic, but it may have been transported many MANY miles using a whole bunch of fossil fuels to get to us. Its always better to choose locally grown over organic, even if the locally grown is conventional. And when I say "better", I mean in the context of the environment/climate change/Earth Day kinda way.

I also want to just say that I've been to lots of farms. I mean, truly, it is part of my job. I prefer to buy all of my groceries from local sources, too, but please please please do not convince yourself that the ethics issues are removed from small, local farms.

Here is a case in point. We have a HUGE Amish community here. The Amish farms are often small, family owned operations. But, the Amish are also well-known for their lack of regard for animal rights and just general ickyness of their farms.

I'm just saying that each farm needs to be assessed based on its individual merits. I know that there are a few generalization s that can be made, but having seen and dealt with so many farms, I can tell you that those generalization s are few.
« Last Edit: April 13, 2008, 02:26:00 am by Nicole »

Nicole

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Also, completely off of this farming topic, I wanna add that I really do strive to live lightly on the earth. I'm super excited about all things environmental. I have a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Management. I spend my days teaching people about how our world works and how we can all have as small of an impact as possible.

I'm not attacking anyone for believing that they are doing the right thing by buying local. Of course you (and me!) are! Its just that it might be more of an economic and health-related "right thing" than an environmental in some cases.

We're clearly all passionate people that care deeply about our planet. So, isn't it important that we know as much as we can about the things we're passionate about? The world of regulation, pollution, agri-business, etc. is so complex. There is truly a lot to learn. I'm still learning every day. I just believe in a balanced approach. Some of the coolest, most innovative ways of dealing with pollution have come out of the large animal feeding operations. The smaller operations just don't have the money to put research into how to do it differently. So, there are things to consider on both sides of the agricultural fence, so to speak.

Please don't get the idea that I'm criticizing your decisions, as I make many of the same ones.