Departments



Articles

Less

Editorial: Guest Editorial: A Native`s Case for Florida Hometown Democracy
October 3rd, 2009

Editorial: Budget of Sugarcreek Goes Modern
October 1st, 2009

Editorial: Is Nothing Sacred?
September 17th, 2009

Editorial: Great Expectations
September 2nd, 2009

Editorial: Helping the Levy County Budget
August 6th, 2009

Editorial: WUFT-FM to Delete Music for Cedar Key
July 28th, 2009

Editorial: Governor Crist Balks on Appointment
July 9th, 2009

Editorial: Affordable Housing in Cedar Key
July 6th, 2009

Editorial: The Greening of Cedar Key
June 25th, 2009

Editorial: Unanimous Consent to Suspend the Rules
June 12th, 2009

Editorial: Cutting the Cost of Garbage Collection
May 27th, 2009

Editorial: America Must Support Chinese Democracy Seekers
March 23rd, 2009

Editorial: Membership Appeal
February 20th, 2009

Editorial: Cutting Health Care Costs
January 10th, 2009

Editorial: 2008 and Some Fearless Predictions
December 30th, 2008

More

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.

Click for printer friendly version

Email this article to a friend

 

 

© 2013
Cedar Key News

cedarkeynews@gmail.com