Earth Day

Please check out this view of the tree-studded scenic Santa Rita mountains in expanded view.  Pretty cool.

The first Earth Day was celebrated 49 years ago: 22 April 1970.  It's not a date I needed to look up.  I remember it as if it were yesterday.

We had a dress code in high school, at least the girls did.  We had to wear skirts or dresses and hose.  But on that day in April the entire student body was allowed to wear jeans.  We were allowed to walk or ride bikes to school, overriding the mandatory bus rides.  Every class was held outdoors.  There were woods and a creek behind the school (where some  students occasionally played hooky).  We spent part of the day picking up trash back there and another part of the day planting trees on school property.  The students and staff planted a total of 100 trees that day. For the very first time we learned the word 'environment' and what it meant in the context of natural preservation. I was a sophomore. It was one of the most memorable days I ever had in school.

But this day is for more than sharing memories.  It's a day to reflect, a day to take action and a day to recommit ourselves to do what we can in order to save our planet.

We, collectively and individually, must make our best efforts to preserve the life and wonders on this beautiful blue marble.  If we don't, there are no spare parts available on Amazon to fix it.