EARTH DAY began as a concept in the 1960s. By 1970, it was official.
While living across from a school, in Windsor, CA, our house was the first place the kids leaving school would pass. For a few years, they’d come out, unwrap their candy, and throw the paper on our lawn. When Jose would mow the lawn each Saturday, it began with him bent over, picking up their trash.
IDEA, teach the kids about the environment and how trash mounts up: For the next year, I collected ever bit of trash that landed on our lawn. I filled a disgusting 24″ x 36″ poster, and on the next Earth Day I brought to the principal. I also had the movie “Wally” attached to it, so kids could watch the movie.
YEAR #2 – same poster, except, it was 11″ x 17.” This one had the Bee movie attached.
YEAR # 3 – “8” x 11″. ” x 17″. Another Wally movie, on a very small paper
YEAR #4, A thank you letter – only three small pieces of junk, so no poster… just the note.
For the next 15 years of living there, no trash.
Not only did it teach the school’s population at the time, but the ideology had sunk in throughout all of Windsor. (Schools are segmented by classes, not by neighborhoods, so my kids had all learned a life lesson of littering.)
This is one of my favorite achievements in life… my small contribution to Earth Day.
Our jobs are not yet done, but the pandemic has taken over for a while, and the environment is benefiting this year. Let’s all continue to enjoy our earth. It’s all we’ve got. Give a HOOT, don’t pollute.
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