Yes, I admit, in 1970 during the first Earth Day I wore my sandals and a tie-died t-shirt to “teach-ins” on what I could do to cleanup the environment.

Today, more people than ever want to do the same thing—learn how they can be better environmental stewards at home, in school, at work and on the farm.

The surge in the number of watershed groups alone is evidence Pennsylvania has a thriving environmental movement of people who want to do positive things to protect the environment.

In 1999 we had barely 125 watershed groups across the state, now we have over 400.

Thousands of people are monitoring water quality, joining the Senior Environment Corps and making pollution prevention and energy efficiency their business.

An interesting piece in the Philadelphia Inquirer tried to capture some of today’s “active environmentalist,” and I would recommend it to you: Shades of Green – Today’s Young Environmental Activists .

Earth Day is also about taking stock about where we are and where we need to go.

We’ve had tremendous success since the first Earth Day in taking the “big chunks” out of the water and out of the air.

Today’s environmental issues are often more subtle and don’t involve the “big polluters” of the past, although some still try to cling to the past. In many ways, each of us has become “the polluter.” As a result, new tools are required to deal with these issues.

The generation that grew up with the first Earth Day is now in positions of authority in business, government, civic, religious, watershed and environmental groups. You don’t have to teach us that the environment is a good thing.

You have to give us the tools to make it better through education, a little help now and then and some great examples to follow.

Just because we grew up with Earth Day doesn’t mean our kids (and now our grandkids) automatically have that same appreciation for the environment and learning about nature.

Every year there’s a new crop of Fifth Graders, and Seventh Graders and High School and College kids wanting to learn about their role in the environment and how they can improve their habitat.

We need to share with them the appreciation that we developed over the last 36 years.

There’s plenty of work yet to do, so get to it!

NewsClip: Editorial: The Good Earth Depends on Us to Keep it Clean, Green

Op-Ed: A World of Progress

Session Schedule

The Senate and House return to session April 24.

On the Hill

· On the Senate, House Agenda

· Senate/House Bills Moving/Introduced

· Bipartisan Bill Will Reduce Power Plant Mercury Emissions By 86 Percent

· Business, Labor, Coal Industry Coalition Supports Bipartisan Mercury Proposal

· Senate Committee Sets 2 Days of Hearings on Cutting Mercury Emissions

Other News

· 2006 River Sojourn Season is Here, Pick One of 16 Trips and Go!

· Urban Watersheds Revitalization Conference Set for May 18 & 19

· Little Toby Creek Benefits from $340,000 for Stream Restoration Grant

· $82,000 Grant to Study Turning Mine Drainage into Drinking Water Source

· Source Water Protection Grants Help Communities Provide Cleaner Drinking Water

· Chesapeake Bay Trust Soliciting Proposals for Pioneer Grants

· Watershed Stewardship Guide Workshop June 1 in Mercer

· New Smart Watershed Benchmarking Tool Now Available

· EPA Publishes New "EPA Watershed Training Opportunities" Booklet

· Information Sessions Set on Nutrient, Sediment Trading Benefits

· Pennsylvania USDA-NRCS Receives $2.7 Million to Protect Farmlands

· President Bush Presents Youth Environmental Award to Souderton Students

· PA Colleges, Universities to Get Help to Reduce Greenhouse Gasses

· Ribbon Cut on Westmoreland’s First Green Rehabilitated Commercial Building

· PUC Approves Plan to Re-bid Pike County Electric Rates

· Hampden Township Receives Regional Award for Environmental Performance

· Pay a Visit to the 'Treevitalize Great Tree Jamboree' and Plant a Tree

· Board OKs Anterless Deer License Allocations, Groups Point Out Deer Damage

· Allegheny PA CleanWays Sets Litter, Invasive Species Cleanup for May 6

· Brian Hill Named President & CEO of PA Environmental Council

· PA Chapter National Brownfields Association Meets May 9

See & Hear

· Peregrine Falcons to be Banded During Live Webcast May 24

Feature

· Loyalhanna Watershed Assn. Recognized With Governor’s Award

Go To the Watershed Awareness Month Events Section

Go To: PA Environment Digest Calendar Page

4/21/2006