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My First Memories of Earth Day

I don’t remember the first Earth Day, April 22, 1970, but I was alive for it. When I was in elementary school, the teachers would give us magnets and send us door-to-door to collect aluminum cans to be recycled and save the world. The magnets, in case you were wondering, helped us distinguish between aluminum and tin. Recycling aluminum was essential because, my teachers taught, the world had almost used it all up. Tin, I guess, could still be tossed. I don’t remember recycling that before the 90’s. But using the magnets to collect aluminum is my earliest memory of environmental action.

I didn’t know on that first Earth Day that special interest groups across the nation united their efforts for the first time ever or that college students, politicians, business leaders, and activists spent that day learning, teaching, and making others aware of issues regarding the health of our world’s environment.

Our world has come a long way since then. Those who use up are taught to give back. Natural habitats are being protected and restored. Endangered species are being protected. Development is being limited so as not to overwhelm. Consequences are more often considered before building starts. People are learning to appreciate this earth and to take care of it, so it will continue to take care of us.

Earth Day isn’t simply a day to be thankful God gave us a planet to live on—though I am thankful for that. Earth Day is a day to learn what needs to be done to heal our planet and to consider ways to do our part.

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Photo by Luke Smith on Unsplash

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