Celebrate
Earth Day!
[Wednesday, April 22]
History of Earth Day:
Earth Day - a day to celebrate the natural wonders of our planet, "to think about Earth's
tender seedlings of life" was first proposed by John McConnell in early October 1969 to a
few members of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors and other community leaders
especially interested in caring for and improving our natural environment. On November
25, 1969, the final day of the UNESCO National Conference, "Man, and His
Environment," Cynthia Wayburn, one of the youth leaders on Mr. McConnell's Earth Day
Committee, presented the idea and showed the Earth Flag during this presentation at the
luncheon. Many expressed support for the idea.
The Flag of Earth Day
Inspired by the striking first photographs of the
earth taken during America's historic Apollo 11
Space Mission in 1969, Earth Flag flies at the
United Nations, Mir Space Station and at the
North and South Poles. Flown alone or as a
complement to another flag, the Earth Flag is a
symbol of global and environmental awareness.
There seems to be a growing commitment to
restructure our way of living, marked by an
emphasis on conservation. Earth Day
Celebrations provide us an opportunity to reflect on our individual and global
relationship with our planet.
Tips to Save the World & Save Money
1) By eating fish that are caught in an environmentally
responsible manner, you can help keep the marine
ecosystem healthy, without compromising freshness and
taste.
2) When you're next in the market for a car, choose the one in
your class with the highest fuel efficiency rating. You'll save
money each time you fill up.
3) Check your tires once a month, since properly inflating
your tires improves gas mileage. According to DOE, under
inflated tires waste more than two million gallons of
gasoline a day. And they're also a safety hazard.
4) Using fluorescent lights can be a major factor in
cutting greenhouse gas emissions. According to
the Environmental Protection Agency, a new
compact fluorescent bulb uses 75% less energy
than a standard incandescent and lasts about 10
times as long.
5) You prevent waste and save money whenever you
reduce your purchases of disposable and over
packaged items or reuse more of what you
already have. It's easy!
Earth Day Bulletin Board
Submitted by Michael Gray
Resident Assistant
University of Florida