Keeping Earth Day, Every Day, On Long Island
Reduce. Reuse. Recycle.
Hey, we're talking about the environment here, not Long Island's elected officials, many of whom have been recycled so many times that, sadly, they're often mistaken for compost.
Today is Earth Day, and, considering this is the only planet that would have us (it seemed like a good idea at the time), worthy are those who make every day Earth Day by living clean, going green, and relying less on the machine.
Here on Long island, where our water comes from below the very ground we stand on -- and pour pesticides, herbicides, and toxic waste into -- we have a vested interest in preserving, protecting, and, yes, promoting Mother Earth, and, as trustees of the air we breathe and water we drink, a responsibility, to ourselves and future generations, to keep it green.
Whether it's a billion acts of green, or recycling that single plastic bottle that would otherwise adorn the side of the roadway or the bottom of a landfill, we can, we must, all do our share.
And so, as adherents to the old adage of Think Globally, Act Locally, we offer a celebration of Earth Day 2010, with sights (and sites) to see, events to attend, activities to engage in (and not), and ideas for greener living (no, you don't have to become a vegan), right here on our Long Island.
For instance, this weekend (April 24 and 25), you can take in the Green Living Expo at Suffolk Community College in Brentwood. It's free (even the parking), and fun for the entire family.
Be sure to check out which politicians are going green (other than with your tax dollars and PAC money), at the New York League of Conservation Voters. See who stands for smart growth, energy conservation, climate action, transportation solutions and natural resource protection, from sound to shore, and beyond.
Attend the Arbor Day Family Festival (April 24 and 25) at Planting Fields Arboretum in Oyster Bay. Then, go home and plant a tree of your own!
For those who think "there's nothing to do on Long Island," visit LifeOnLongIsland.com, where activities and events, for Earth Day and every day, abound.
The good earth has its very own web page on Long Island -- EarthDayLongIsland.com -- chock full of events to celebrate this humble sphere, as well as ideas and suggestions to keep this swirling ball, and us, healthy long into the future. [Okay. So the listed events are mostly for 2009. Does that mean the world stops turning? Be imaginative!]
ExploreLI.com is more up-to-date, listing eco-friendly returns of the day from cycling to recycling.
About.com gets in the act, as do the folks at Long Island Press.
And let's not forget our good friends who remind us that it's not just about hugging trees and eating organic fruit or hormone-free beef. The true stewards of Long Island at Citizens Campaign for the Environment (check out their revamped, earth-friendly website) and Long Island Neighborhood Network.
Folks, this is but the tip of the iceberg (which, by the way, has melted considerably since you began reading this post). There are so many ways to reduce your carbon footprint, to reuse resources (including your old sneakers), and to recycle much more than yesterday's ideas.
And let's start here and now, with an energy-saving tip from The Community Alliance (where no electrons were harmed in the making of this blog): For the balance of Earth Day 2010, shut down your computers, Blackberries, iPads, and car engines. Take a walk. Contribute to and/or volunteer for an environmentally-friendly cause. Plant a garden. All right, go hug that tree if it makes you feel better.
We've got one earth, and one chance to make it right!
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