| With Earth Day right around the corner I thought this | | | | and junkyards of the world are filling quickly, with |
| was a good time to examine both the benefits of | | | | goods that might have been reused, recycled or |
| Earth Day and organics in general. | | | | composted". Disposable diapers have long been a |
| Earth Day first day took place in April 22, 1970 | | | | major environmental problem. Disposables are easy, |
| founded and created by Senator Gaylord Nelson of | | | | but guilt-inducing and generate 60 times more solid |
| Wisconsin as a way to "force this issue onto the | | | | waste than cloth diapers and in America alone, the |
| national agenda." 20 million Americans demonstrated in | | | | diapers thrown away each year would stretch to the |
| different U.S. cities, and it worked! | | | | moon and back SEVEN times. To make matters |
| That following December, 1970 under President | | | | worse, disposable diapers are not biodegradable, taking |
| Richard Nixon and Congress, the authorization of a | | | | more than 500 years to break down. |
| new federal agency to tackle environmental issues, | | | | Biodegradable diapers are one option for parents. |
| the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency or EPA, | | | | They are made from a cornstarch base and, when |
| was created in response to the growing public | | | | acted on by bacteria, more rapidly decompose than |
| demand for cleaner water, air and land. The EPA was | | | | conventional disposable diapers. Biodegradable diapers |
| tasked with "the challenging goal of repairing the | | | | are now available as well as organic cotton diapers. |
| damage already done to the environment and to | | | | Earth Day network also knows the "importance of |
| establish guidelines to help Americans in making a | | | | humans supporting organic or small farms, local |
| cleaner-and safer-environment a reality." Prior to that, | | | | production and sustainable techniques while harvesting |
| because there was no EPA, no Clean Air Act, no | | | | increased yields and protecting the topsoil. The time for |
| Clean Water Act, a factory could spew black clouds | | | | action is now, before the world's rich farmland washes |
| of toxic into the air or dump tons of toxic waste into a | | | | into the sea, and before chemical pesticides and |
| nearby stream. And it was all perfectly legal. | | | | fertilizers cause any more harm to our drinking water |
| "On April 22, 1990 the 20th anniversary of Earth Day | | | | and our oceans." |
| was observed by 1.8 million people gathered on Central | | | | From shoppers to retailers to sponsors, who have |
| Park's Great Lawn, it was also observed by small | | | | participated in Go Organic! for Earth Day over the |
| groups of people gathered in classrooms and | | | | past five years, they have been able to reach millions |
| communities everywhere in their own way." | | | | of people with the important educational message of |
| On that same day, a crowd of 800,000 gathered on | | | | both the personal and environmental benefits of |
| the National Mall to commemorate the 20th | | | | choosing organic products. |
| anniversary of Earth Day. Nelson insisted to the crowd: | | | | Still in doubt about the importance of organics? |
| "I don't want to have to come limping back here | | | | For Health! |
| twenty years from now on the 40th anniversary of | | | | Organic production helps protect your own health and |
| Earth Day...and have the embarrassing responsibility of | | | | that of future generations i.e. babies. |
| telling your sons and daughters that you didn't do your | | | | For the Planet! |
| duty-that you didn't become the conservation | | | | Organic farming never uses toxic and persistent |
| generation that we hoped for." Sadly, in 2005 he | | | | pesticides. This helps keep air, water, and soil clean. If |
| passed and will not be here for the 40th anniversary | | | | buying only organic is a strain on your finances, opt for |
| which takes place this year. However, the Earth Day | | | | organic versions of the items known to have the |
| Network is following in the Senators' footsteps and | | | | highest pesticide levels: peaches, apples, grapes, |
| seeks to "bridge the gap between concerned citizens | | | | strawberries and bell peppers. |
| and their leaders. Action is needed between individuals | | | | Many manufactures of non-food agricultural products |
| and organizations with local elected officials to discuss | | | | are making a wide variety of organics to choose from. |
| environmental issues. In this way we can push for | | | | The key is education. What better way than to start |
| change in Congress and the White House." | | | | that education at the beginning. Teach the new |
| They also believe "action must be taken to reduce the | | | | parents and baby from the start by giving organic |
| amount of waste we produce. The garbage dumps | | | | baby gifts. |