by Noah Schimnowski
What is Earth Day, exactly? It began in 1970 after a massive oil spill occurred in Santa Barbara the year prior. According to americaslibrary.gov, Gaylord Nelson, a former United States senator, realized the importance of keeping the earth clean after this tragic accident and worked with the public to form rallies and protests on April 22, 1970. These events brought together many public interest groups that all advocated for, in one way or another, regulations that would prevent large companies from polluting the earth with how they made their products.
So, how is Earth Day celebrated now that 48 years have passed? On the CI campus, Green Generation is hosting special events for this international holiday.
This club is focused on environmental cleanliness and the importance of nature. Katherine Crook, Vice President, stated, “We are big on getting our hands dirty with helping the earth, that is why every Friday you can find us out next to Potrero Field in the Therapy Garden. We also do a cleanup on campus every other week and occasionally go to off-campus sites if we feel there is a need for some extra environmental love in that area.”
This holiday is highly valued by the members of Green Generation, and they have big plans for the coming week of Earth Day. “Throughout the week (Green Generation) will be tabling in front of the library selling different plants such as lavender, rosemary, and different kinds of succulents,” Crook said. “We will have a BBQ Thursday evening leading to the event on Friday. Friday (4/20) will be the celebration in Center Mall from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. We will have tie dye, clubs tabling with games, live music, a solar oven, smoothies made on bikes, and many other fun things.”
For any students who are interested in becoming an active member of Green Generation, Crook states that there are a few ways to get involved. “The first step is to follow our Instagram page and join our club on CISync. That way people will get updates on what we are doing and different events they can get involved in.”
