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Editorial: What Have We Learned?
September 3rd, 2005

Editorial: Speak Now or Forever Hold Your Peace
August 17th, 2005

Editorial: What Is a Consultant to Do?
July 5th, 2005

Editorial: Six Land Use Petitions in Play
June 25th, 2005

Editorial: Poaching & Plagiarism
June 13th, 2005

Editorial: Upward and Onward in 2005
May 24th, 2005

Editorial: Farewell Maureen
May 17th, 2005

Editorial: Speaking About Speak Out
May 10th, 2005

Editorial: Informed Voters Wanted
March 26th, 2005

Editorial: Health Needs Survey Well Received
February 12th, 2005

Editorial: Fire Protection, Fire Insurance and Tax Justice
January 25th, 2005

Editorial: Cedar Key Health Service Survey
January 14th, 2005

Editorial: New Year`s Resolution
December 31st, 2004

Editorial: Do We Need Better Healthcare in Cedar Key?
December 16th, 2004

Editorial: Help Defend Us
October 29th, 2004

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Editorial: Earth Day 2010

Editorial: Earth Day 2010

Editorial

Earth Day 2010

Earth Day, April 22, marks the fortieth year that people have set aside a day to recognize the need for stewardship of the communal home that we share on Earth. That stewardship was recognized by a very early tourist that arrived in Cedar Key in 1867, namely John Muir. Muir later founded the Sierra Club and persuaded Presidents to protect the natural resources and beauty of our country.

The conservation movement, begun by Muir and other far-sighted souls, has expanded far beyond preservation of wild lands. We now see the need to protect our rivers and beaches from pollution. Game laws, fishing limits and endangered species legislation are now recognized as necessary to counteract selfish and thoughtless assaults on nature. Recall the whaling industry`s excesses or the pollution of an Ohio river to the point it caught fire. Both cases relate to human demand for energy, in the form of whole oil and kerosene.

The conservation movement has grown to include efforts to dampen if not stop the population explosion and establish a sustainable life style. Populations have stabilized in most "developed" nations, a sign of progress.

Mountains of trash in the form of sanitary land-fills demonstrate that a sustainable life style is an ideal not yet attained.

The Cedar Key Commission has taken a step toward a sustainable life style, and our reputation as a green city, by voting to try once-a-week garbage collection. Once-a-week collection encourages recycling of waste. Furthermore, once-a-week collection reduces the volume of waste taken to the dump and cuts fuel consumption by lumbering garbage trucks.

On April 22, Earth Day, we need to give thanks to John Muir for National Parks and wildlife refuges. We need to thank the founders of Earth Day for the expansion of the conservation ethic to the many ways to keep the Earth inhabitable.

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