During Earth Day’s official arrival today, activists say Americans are showing more concern for the environment.

Environmental leaders are aiming for an even bigger effort Tuesday, when they hope 1 million Americans will call their congressional representatives to lobby for legislation to fight global warming.

In a Gallup Poll released Friday, roughly 80 percent of those surveyed said they had made lifestyle changes to protect the environment.

Green Party activist Jean McMahon of Fort Gibson said people can honor Earth Day year ’round by picking up trash, making sure to buy and use compact fluorescent lights, and planting trees.

“Plant anything!” she said. “Plant a garden for food and go to the Farmers’ Market. The planet is what gives us life, and we have to show appreciation or we will not be able to survive. We can find ways to use wind and sun to make our lives better.”

Liz Snyder, program director of an educational organic farm in Sunnyvale, Calif., said the public is searching for ways to express its concern.

“Even here in California, (the attitude) has changed radically in the last five years,” she said. “People ... want to make changes and they’re not sure how.”

Carri Abner, urban forester with Muskogee Parks and Recreation, said anything that affects the planet affects us.

“If our surrounding environment is not looking healthy, then how healthy do you think we’ll be a few years down the road?” she said. “We’re having a tree giveaway this Saturday at the Farmers’ Market (in front of the Muskogee Civic Center). We want this to be Green Country instead of stump country. Pride in your community is pride in your country.”

Since the first Earth Day in 1970, tree-planting and trash pickup have been traditions, but many of this year’s celebrations have new twists:

• Collecting old electronic gear to avoid disposal in landfills. The Environmental Protection Agency’s Midwest office, for example, is trying to collect 1 million pounds of such “e-waste.”

• Encouraging participants to leave their cars at home and use public transportation.

• The comics pages go “green” on Tuesday as 46 cartoon strips, from ”Blondie“ and ”Family Circus“ to ”Mutts“ and ”Zippy the Pinhead“ try to save the planet. ”Killer is out hugging trees,” Zero reports in “Beetle Bailey.” “We’d like to talk to you about your carbon footprint,” the ”Hagar“ gang tells a giant. The effort is being coordinated by the King Features syndicate, which runs comics and features in almost 5,000 newspapers.

Many organizers were surprised by high turnouts Sunday. In Parma, Ohio, nearly 100 people, some still dressed for church, dropped off a total of 800 quarts of old motor oil at a Veterans of Foreign Wars hall.



Learn more

To learn more about Earth-aware activities in Oklahoma, visit http://www.oksustainability.org/

Reach Keith Purtell at 918-684-2925 or Click Here to Send Email