View of Noyes Mountain from Roberts Farm Preserve that is now being protected thanks to the vision and work of Western Foothills Land Trust. (Submitted image)

AREA — The idea for a national day to focus on the environment came to Earth Day founder Gaylord Nelson, then a U.S. Senator from Wisconsin, after witnessing the ravages of the 1969 massive oil spill in Santa Barbara, California.

The oil spill covered more than 30 square miles of ocean, and birds and sea lions washed ashore coated in sticky, thick oil. Later that year, the Cuyahoga River in Ohio caught fire because it was so polluted by dumped factory, sewage, oil-soaked logs, and trash from cities.

Although mainstream America largely remained oblivious to environmental concerns, the stage had been set for change by the publication of Rachel Carson’s “Silent Spring” in 1962. The book represented a watershed moment and began to raise public awareness and concern for living organisms, the environment, and links between pollution and public health.

Here in Norway, community residents gather for Earth Day each year to continue to spread awareness about environmental stewardship in our area. In 2019, the theme for Earth Day is “Protect our Species.” Our planet is home to millions of species that we know of, and many more that remain to be discovered.

Local naturalist, Oen Kennedy, will lead a bird and nature walk on Saturday, April 20, at 7 a.m., introducing people to birds in our area, and how to recognize different bird calls. The walk will begin at the Alan Day Community Garden on 26 Whitman St., where the land has been reclaimed to create gardens that are home to many pollinators.

Currently, 40% of the world’s 11,000 bird species are in decline, and one in eight is threatened with global extinction. Insect populations have declined by 75% in some areas of the world.

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The Community Garden produces hundreds of pounds of chemical-free food each year, offers land for people to grow their own gardens, teaches youth about gardening and the environment, and will open a public Community Market this summer.

Animal populations in freshwater ecosystems have plummeted by 75% since 1970. Plastics can be especially hazardous to wildlife. They can be ingested, causing internal organ failure or strangulation. Removing trash from ponds and lakes protects our species from chemical and biological impacts.

In an effort to clean up our waterways, there will be a public trash pickup at Pennesseewassee rest stop on April 20 at 9 a.m.

The burning of fossil fuels for energy, and animal agriculture, are two of the biggest contributors to global warming, along with deforestation. Livestock accounts for up to 18% of human-induced greenhouse gas emissions. Raising awareness about climate threats to our area and working on a climate mitigation and adaptation plan is a priority for organizations like the Center for an Ecology-Based Economy which is beginning work with the town of Norway to identify risks and solutions.

Many nonprofit organizations exist today to address the challenges of pollution and damage caused by humans to the planet. These organizations depend on volunteers to ensure that we protect our local environment. Where local towns do not have the resources to handle threats to the environment, volunteers help organization meet their goals on Earth Day and every day.

Local nonprofits that currently work to address issues include Western Foothills Land Trust, Alan Day Community Garden, Center for an Ecology-Based Economy, and the Lakes Association of Norway. The work they do to help the community steward our land and protect our environment depends on volunteers to ensure that we take care of our resources and leave a habitable and beautiful planet for our children’s children and many generations to come.

For information about Earth Day Norway and beyond, call the community organizers at 739-2101. A schedule of events can be found on Facebook @earthdaynorway.


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