With snow falling as late as yesterday, Mother Nature hasn’t exactly been Minnesota’s “sweetheart” in recent days (not appropriate behavior for SPRING, Mother Nature!), but we can’t let our crazy cold and never-ending winter diminish the many wonderful things Mother Nature is responsible for providing. And because we can forgive her temporary lapse in judgment (snow mid-April? Really?!), we whole-heartedly support Earth Day April 22.
You can celebrate Earth Day, first commemorated in 1970 and made “official” in 1971, by participating in local events around town that will beautify communities for months and years to come: the Battle Creek Regional Park Cleanup on Saturday, April 25 from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. (meet in the Battle Creek parking lot); the Lebanon Hills Cleanup from Wednesday, April 22-Saturday, April 25 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (park in the Lebanon Hills Visitor Center parking lot); the Minneapolis River Gorge Cleanup on Saturday, April 25 from 9:30 a.m. to noon on West River Parkway in Minneapolis (meet at East 36th or East 44th streets); or by planting oak trees at Lake Elmo Park Reserve (meet at the Nordic Center) on Saturday, April 25 from 10 a.m. to noon.
Perhaps the best way to recognize Earth Day is by making a commitment to adopting more earth-friendly habits, like driving less, eating locally-sourced fruits and veggies, changing your light bulbs, taking shorter showers, using reusable shopping bags, and buying recycled whenever possible.
In the wise words of anthropologist Margaret Mead, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”
