In the News - April 2008
38 years later, Earth Day is still relevant
LITTLE ROCK - Thirty-eight years after the first Earth Day, and it’s still a
relevant reminder that we have a powerful tool to help protect our natural
resources: recycling.
This year, Earth Day is being celebrated on April 22.
"Recycling helps to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions associated with the
manufacturing, distribution, and use of products - as well as the management of
the resulting waste," says Suzanne Hirrel, extension waste management specialist
and associate professor with the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture.
Greenhouse gases in the upper atmosphere can result in sea level changes and
other climate changes.
"Recycling is an environmental activity in which most Arkansans can
participate. Many communities in larger cities offer curbside recycling, and
smaller communities have drop-off centers in their local areas."
Waste reduction and recycling also help to protect the environment by:
- Reducing methane emissions from landfills. When materials are
recycled, they are diverted from landfills.
- Increasing the storage of carbon in forests. When paper products are
recycled, more trees can remain standing in the forest, where they can
continue to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
The Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) maintains reports of
the state of recycling in Arkansas, which detail the state’s recycling rate. The
latest report for 2006 can be found on the Web at:
http://www.adeq.state.ar.us/solwaste/branch_recycling/pdfs/
report_state_of_recycling_2006.pdf
.
The first Earth Day of 1970 is credited with making environmental issues a
priority with the politics of the United States government. Gaylord Nelson, a
U.S. Senator from Wisconsin, was the founder of the first Earth Day on April 22,
1970. At a conference in Seattle in September 1969, Nelson announced that in the
spring of 1970, everyone was encouraged to participate in a nationwide
grassroots demonstration on behalf of the environment. Twenty million
demonstrators and thousands of schools and local communities participated in
this first Earth Day event, which Nelson referred to as "one of the
most exciting and significant grassroots efforts in the history of this
country."
For more information about protecting natural resources in your area, please
contact your county extension agent or visit
www.uaex.edu. The Cooperative
Extension Service is part of the U of A Division of Agriculture.
April 11, 2008
By Rebecca Norman
For the Cooperative Extension Service
Media Contact: Lamar James
Extension Communications Specialist
U of A Division of Agriculture
Cooperative Extension Service
(501) 671-2187 or (501) 753-0207
ljames@uaex.edu
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