Earth Day 2016

Celebrate Earth Day on Friday, April 22 or at an Earth Day event that continues through the weekend such as Earth Day Texas at Fair Park in Dallas, TX. Earth Day Texas focuses on environmental awareness and education and is an annual forum for sharing the latest initiatives, discoveries, research, innovations, policies, products, and corporate practices that are reshaping our world.

Earth Day was founded in 1970 by United States Senator Gaylord Nelson, of Wisconsin, as a national “teach-in” day, according to the Earth Day Network. Nelson wrote about the origins of Earth Day on Envirolink, "I announced that in the spring of 1970 there would be a nationwide grassroots demonstration on behalf of the environment and invited everyone to participate. The wire services carried the story from coast to coast. The response was electric. It took off like gangbusters. Telegrams, letters, and telephone inquiries poured in from all across the country. The American people finally had a forum to express its concern about what was happening to the land, rivers, lakes, and air – and they did so with spectacular exuberance."

What will you do to celebrate the Earth? Many people plant trees, participate in clean up projects, go on a nature hike or take inventory of how they can reduce their carbon footprint. Whether it is big or small, I hope you have a fabulous time contemplating or being out in our wonderful natural world and doing your bit to safeguard our environment. I created a photographic art image of a tree spirit who emerged during winter storm Jonas, in honor of the other living creatures sharing planet earth with us.

Earth Day and Arbor Day 2014

Earth Day is celebrated each year on April 22, while Arbor Day in the U.S. seems to be celebrated in most locations on the last Friday of April. That puts Arbor Day a mere 3 days after Earth Day in 2014. Both days are good days to reflect on the natural world around you and what you can do to keep it healthy.

This is the 44th anniversary for Earth Day, begun as a way to promote environmental awareness and protection. If you take part in local Earth Day events in your area, hopefully you will pick up a few new tips on how to leave a smaller footprint on the earth by recycling, reusing, properly disposing of waste, increasing the energy efficiency of your home and more. The focus of Earth Day TX 2014 (Apr. 26-27) at Fair Park in Dallas, TX is water. The event guide states, “The event showcases the world’s largest public exhibition of environmental and water conserving initiatives from businesses, environmental nonprofits, schools, universities and government agencies. Our goal is to demonstrate how green lifestyle choices can reduce cost of living, improve health and help save the environment.”

With the two environmentally centered holidays coming so close together this year, you will find Arbor Day celebrations on the weekend of Apr. 26-27 as well. Once such Arbor Day celebration is Arbor Daze in Euless, TX. Need a tree to plant? You can pick up one here to celebrate this tree planting holiday. I have several trees on my property that started as small Arbor Day saplings that now provide wonderful shade.