April 22nd is Earth Day

Greeting readers! 

Earth Day 2023 will be happening on Saturday, April 22! Earth Day is an annual event to celebrate the planet’s environment and raise public awareness about pollution. This yearly occasion has been celebrated since April 1970! Because there was no such thing as the Environmental Protection Agency, the Clean Water Act, or the Clean Air Act, factories could spew black clouds of toxic smoke into the air or dump tons of toxic waste into a nearby stream, and that was perfectly legal.  

In the Spring of 1970, Senator Gaylord Nelson created Earth Day to force environmental issues onto the national agenda. Earth Day is now a global celebration, thanks to Senator Nelson. Around 1 billion individuals across more than 190 countries take action to raise awareness of the climate crisis and bring about behavioral changes to protect the environment.  

Since 1901, our average global temperatures have been climbing steadily upwards, at the heart of the world’s global warming problem. The global surface temperature has risen at an average rate of 0.17°F per decade! (1) 

Here’s how YOU can be a Prevention Partner:  

Go on a walk with a trash bag and help clean up any plastic you find. Maybe you know of a nearby park polluted with trash that needs to be picked up! Don’t forget to recycle any plastic you may pick up! See a Plastics Recycling Chat Here!  

Trees are awesome! They capture carbon, cool overheated places, support pollinators, clean our air, filter our water, and even slow storm surge and flooding in our cities. Did you know that planting one Oak tree brings in more insects and bird species than an entire yard of plants? Talk to your local government about planting more trees and native garden beds in public spaces. See advice on how to plant a tree here! 

 Did you know The Colorado River supplies about 36% of Arizona’s water? Other water sources come from groundwater, 41%; in-state rivers, 18%, and reclaimed water, 5%, according to the Kyle Center for Water Policy at Arizona State University. Don’t forget to save some water by taking short showers, checking for any leaks, turning off the tap when you brush your teeth, and don’t use toilets as a trash can.