On April 22, we will celebrate the 52nd anniversary of the first Earth Day held in 1970. This event was the culmination of an environmental movement that gained momentum in the 1960s with the publication of Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring, that exposed the detrimental effects of pesticides, and with the world’s very first view of the whole planet from space. Images such as Apollo 8 astronaut William Anders’ “Earthrise” along with those of environmental disasters, such as the Cuyahoga river near Cleveland on fire from oil pollution in 1969, made many Americans more aware of the irreparable environmental damage that we were doing to our beautiful, one and only planet.

After the first Earth Day, Americans worked together to protect the environment and, importantly, our own health by establishing the Environmental Protection Agency and passing several landmark environmental laws during the Nixon administration, including the Clean Air Act in 1970, the Clean Water Act in 1972, and the Endangered Species Act in 1973. In 1971, Pennsylvanians voted by a 4-to-1 margin for Article 1, Section 27 of our state constitution, the Environmental Rights Amendment, that guarantees that the people of Pennsylvania have the right to clean air, pure water, and to the preservation of the natural, scenic, historic, and esthetic values of the environment. Here in rural Pa., this right is very important to us.

Now, 52 years later, we stand once again on the precipice of another disaster of our own making, as climate change threatens the lives and livelihoods of current and future generations. I don’t have to convince you that the climate crisis is happening, you can see it all around you in news of extreme wildfire behavior, droughts, unprecedented flooding events, and bigger, more deadly hurricanes. We even have new words for these events, like “atmospheric river,” and the new “superstorms” are so big, meteorologists are considering expanding the hurricane classification scheme to account for their ferocity.

The good news is that we know what is causing the problem and we have proven technological solutions to fix it. The increased global warming we are seeing that is causing our climate to experience more extreme weather is caused by increased greenhouse gas pollutants, such as carbon dioxide and methane. The main source of these pollutants is the mining, fracking, and burning of fossil fuels like coal, oil, and natural gas for electricity, transportation, and industrial processes, and to make products such as single-use plastics. Right now, we have the technology we need to replace these planet-warming fuels with clean, renewable sources such as wind, geothermal, and solar energy. In fact, Pennsylvania could produce 10 times its current electricity consumption with solar energy alone. We just need to step out of our current path and start out on a new, cleaner path to a renewable energy future that will sustain our children and grandchildren.

This Earth Day, a number of local groups of concerned citizens are hosting a celebration called “Joy to the Earth,” at Rotary Field in Selinsgrove from 4-8 p.m. on April 22. The event will feature food, music, and activities for children. Participants will be able to see and ask questions about electric vehicles. There will be tables with information about home solar installation; the work of local groups who are concerned about preserving the health of our air, water, and forests; how young people are making their voices heard; and how people of faith are heeding the call to be good stewards of the Earth. Learn what part you can play in fighting the climate crisis because taking action eases the anxiety we all feel, when facing the enormity of the work that must be done to transition to renewable energy. Just as we have accomplished other seemingly insurmountable tasks, such as sending people to the moon, we can each play our part and inspire each other to step into a better future, if we work together. So, join us on Earth Day and learn more about how people are working together to fight the climate crisis, and consider joining the movement. It’s not too late to save our one and only planet.

Sandy Field is chair of the local chapter of the Climate Reality Project and lives in Lewisburg. For more information: [email protected].

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