Time to Clean Up Our Earth
Last time we talked about getting dirty; this time we are going to talk about getting clean. No, we are not going to go out and take a bath in the madman’s lily pond. We are going to clean up our earth. Two days from now is the 51st celebration of Earth Day.
Bugs Vs DDT
The madman and I grew up in an era where bugs were bad – they were squashed on sight. Very few people considered the good side of insects. In the 1940’s, scientists developed a wonder chemical to effectively combat insect-borne human diseases like malaria; in other words it killed mosquitoes. Unfortunately, it was so effective it killed all insects. It also came with a lot of chemical and toxicological effects on birds, animals, fish and humans. The chemical industry called it Dichloro-Diphenyl-Trichloroethane (affectionately known as DDT). DDT was followed by a ton of others of its ilk – the synthetic insecticides.
Growing up we rode around admiring the bug-free greenery in our family’s huge, gas-guzzling automobiles. The big plumes of pollution in the distance were a sign of our prosperity. Life was good.
The Silent Spring
Then Rachel Carson came along and in 1962 burst our ecological bubble with the publication of her book, Silent Spring. Suddenly we didn’t feel so good about killing all the bugs. In very plain English, she explained the harm we were doing to our environment with the indiscriminate use of pollutants and chemicals. She introduced the concept that humans were responsible for the well-being of our planet. If we didn’t do something quick, we would all regret it.
These were radical views that rocked the establishment. But, try as it may, science could not discredit her claims. She spoke the truth. Her book caused rumbles, but it wasn’t until 1969 that someone actually did something about it.
Earth Day
Wisconsin Senator Gaylord Nelson announced the Earth Day concept at a conference in Seattle, Washington – inviting the entire country to get involved. Inspired by large campus movements of the Vietnam War era, he sought to create an environmental movement of the same scale. Organizers scheduled college campus teach-ins for April 22, 1970. The madman reminds you that this date conveniently fell between the end of Spring Break and the beginning of finals. Campuses would be full of students looking to get involved in a good cause. Senator Nelson was no dummy. Can you even imagine trying to organize something without the use of social media? But, organize Senator Nelson’s followers did.
The first Earth Day in 1970 was enormously successful. The movement took off and good changes were made in government policies. Legislators created the Environmental Protection Agency . And, shortly after came the Clean Air Act, the Endangered Species Act and the Water Quality Improvement Act. And, the use of DDT in the United States was banned. Unfortunately, Rachel Carson didn’t live to see the effects of her book, but she was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Honor for her work. And, as humans, we should all be grateful for what she did.
Restore the Earth
The theme for this year’s Earth Day is “Restore Our Earth,” something we can all participate in. Take our hint from our friend, Maureen The Trash Queen. Her trash gathering exploits are well-known in the Master Gardener community and beyond. The madman will use her example and plans to clean up a section of Route 6 – wave to him if you see him out there. Although the official Earth Day is April 22, we like to celebrate everyday by respecting our planet. For some things you can do to restore our earth, check out these Earth Day tips.
Arbor Day
About a week after the Earth Day party, we have another celebration – Arbor Day, now celebrated on the last Friday of April. This celebration is a bit older than Earth Day. It was the brainchild of J. Morton Sterling of Nebraska City, Nebraska. On April 10, 1872, he organized the planting of 1 million trees throughout the state of Nebraska – again, without the benefit of social media! Over time, other states adopted this Nebraska Arbor Day event and in 1907, President Theodore Roosevelt issued a proclamation to all school children encouraging them to plant and preserve trees. It became a national holiday in 1970 when the date was moved.
So, why plant trees? After all, trees take years to mature –who has that kind of time? You do. It is “one of the easiest and most powerful things you can do to have a positive effect on the environment,” according to Arbor Day. Trees clean the air we breathe by absorbing carbon dioxide (CO2) and other pollutants. They also give off oxygen (O2), obviously something we desperately need. Trees prevent rainwater run-off with their leaf canopies that diffuse falling water. Their roots hold soil in place as rainwater filters through the ground.
We Need Those Trees
Simply put, trees are important. They save energy. They increase the value of your property. And, they are good for your mental and physical health. Still not convinced? Pick up a copy of Shel Silverstein’s book, The Giving Tree and read it to your kids. If you don’t have kids, pretend you do – the madman loves it when I read to him.
But, the madman suggests that you put on your thinking cap before you go out to dig a hole for your tree. It’s that old master gardener saying, “Right plant, right place.” Consider the growing requirements of a tree – a sun loving tree is not going to flourish in the shade. Also, consider planting native species because they will support many more forms of our native wildlife than something dragged in from the other side of the world. We have enough invasive species to deal with, so let’s not introduce any more.
Madman’s Trees
The date for this year’s Arbor Day Celebration is April 30. This year, the madman plans to release some of the potted native trees he has nurtured over the years. He plans to plant white pines, oaks and willows in the back woods. Along the edge of our woods, he’ll introduce some witch hazels – he hopes they will all be welcomed by nature. I think they will be.
If you think about it, most holidays we celebrate commemorate something in the past. But, when you celebrate Earth Day and Arbor Day, you are celebrating the future. Celebrate it well.
As the hot chocolate warms up, I will quickly mention that the madman’s peas are up. If you have followed our blogs, you know that the madman has struggled with his peas. He has learned to ignore the calendar, forget St. Patrick’s Day and wait for nature to tell him it’s okay to plant the peas. Last week, the forsythia popped, the peas went in and now they’re up on the first try.
The hot chocolate is ready.
