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DIGITAL EARTH DAY environmental issues. each year. Usually, activities
There were national
begin with a clean-up of commu-
teach-ins at several nity grounds and areas adjacent to
By Bob Lee, Board Member American universi- WAL, including Yoakum Park-
ties. Initially Earth way, Stultz Road, and nearby
Although this year’s Earth Day Day was inextricably associated parts of Stevenson Avenue. It’s a
event will not occur in efforts to with Vietnam War protests and pretty modest affair compared to
keep everyone safe from the youthful political activism. As global celebrations, but we’re all
COVID-19 pandemic, we can time went on, the focus shifted doing our part to be good stewards
keep the spirit of of our planet and
Earth Day alive indi- its environment.
vidually.
It is a tradition
I am not referring to that Earth Day
wearing a shirt from trees are gifted
the previous Earth by residents and
Day events at WAL, friends of the
though pictures of Association and
people in their old t- funded through
shirts might be nice to the WAL En-
display somehow. hancement Fund.
All trees in-
For those who are stalled to date
interested, you may have been Octo-
participate in the first ber glory red
Digital Earth Day maples to form a
hosted by the Earth canopy along the
Day Network, the drive lanes at the
global organizers of back entrance to
Earth Day. Learn the community.
more by visiting The first of those
www.earthday.org. trees was named
“Emma’s tree”
Earth Day in recognition of
History the youngest par-
Earth Day was the Digital Earth Day 2020 is an event hosted by the Earth Day Network. ticipant in Earth
brainchild of Wis- Day observances
consin Senator Gaylord Nelson. towards environmental issues and in 2017, followed by “Barbara’s
Building on the environmental concerns. Earth Day is now ob- tree,” named in honor of Barbara
consciousness generated by Ra- served in more than 190 countries, Bush who died just before Earth
chel Carson’s 1962 best-selling with more than one billion people Day in 2018. Last year’s tree was
book, Silent Spring, Nelson au- worldwide participating annually donated by long-time WAL resi-
thored several landmark environ- according to earthday.org. dent Sylvia Linke and her brother,
mental laws—including the Wil- Ernest Cook. Known as George’s
derness Act—and was instrumen- Earth Day at WAL tree, the maple was dedicated to
tal in laying the groundwork for For several years, Watergate at their father, Dr. E. George Linke.
the Environmental Protection Act Landmark has formally observed
as well as the Clean Air and Clean Earth Day with a series of events Even though we’re unable to cele-
Water Acts. After his U.S. Senate that have included different com- brate Earth Day together this year,
career, Nelson served on the board mittees, their members and other I am encouraged that WAL resi-
of the Wilderness Society. WAL residents. Perhaps as a re- dents will continue to care for the
flection of a growing concern for community and our world.
The first Earth Day was celebrated the environment, participation in
in 1970 as a day of education on the annual event has increased
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