Last Saturday, April 22, 2023, the Post Road Library hosted the annual Forsyth County Master Naturalist Extension Volunteers’ Earth Day Celebration from noon to 3 p.m. Despite the windy weather, over 200 people visited the interactive displays to learn about the wonders of our water system and facts about biting insects, spin the wheel to test their knowledge about Georgia bats, talk with trained Forsyth County Master Naturalists, or attend a wildlife lecture. The rock painting craft was a big hit with kids, too.
Earth Day has been observed each year on April 22 since 1970. It began as a way to focus national attention on decades of industrial pollution, forest clearing, toxins and pesticides, and several man-made disasters that created environmental crises. Interest in addressing these issues quickly spread from college campuses to the general population. The grassroots movement played a role in the creation of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and a series of laws aimed at protecting air and water quality, endangered species, and workers. Over 50 years later, there are numerous success stories, including polluted rivers that were restored under regulations of the Clean Water Act (a 1972 expansion of the 1948 Federal Water Pollution Control Act) and dozens of hazardous waste sites cleaned and rehabilitated through the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980.
Individual action is also important. People have many opportunities to impact our shared environment, both positively and negatively, every day. Responsible pesticide use in our landscapes protects pollinators, birds, and streams. Proper disposal of paint, used motor oil, and household chemicals is important, too. Keep Forsyth County Beautiful, in partnership with Forsyth County Recycling and Solid Waste Department and the City of Cumming, is hosting the Spring Household Hazardous Waste Event on May 6, 2023. Visit https://www.keepforsythcountybeautiful.org/recycling-disposal for information and registration requirements.
We can also strive to reduce the amount of trash and food waste we send to landfills and refrain from littering. The day after Earth Day, my daughter and I joined a trail clean-up event at a state park. It was a great day to be outdoors, and we were well equipped to pick up trash along the trail. Along the trail we saw many native plants, including a pink lady’s slipper (Cypripedium acaule Ait.), mountain laurels (Kalmia latifolia)just beginning to bloom, and trilliums (Trillium catesbaei and T. rugelii) with delicate pink and white flowers nodding below the three leaves that give them their name. Even better than seeing beautiful flowers and great views was what we didn’t see: trash. I call that a success story, too.
