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Opinion:  Editorial

Our top priority
Tuesday, April 22, 2008 3:21 PM EDT Print this story | Email this story
"We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children."  ~Native American Proverb

Whether we all buy into the global warming theory or not, we can all agree that protecting the environment while it is in our care should be a top priority for everyone. After all, a cleaner, greener planet is the most precious gift we can leave for generations to come.

As we celebrate Earth Day for the 38th time, it seems a good time to reflect on the successes we have had -- saving the bald eagle and other birds from extinction after the pesticide DDT was banned is the best known. But there have been others, many made possible by legislation designed to clean up our air, water and land. And much of that legislation came as a response to public outcry over environmental irresponsibility. Still, there is much to be done.

And while, as individuals we may not be able to save a species, together there is no challenge we can't meet, from cleaning up our rivers and streams to reducing the amount of trash we dump into our landfills each day. And we can accomplish the task one person, one household at a time by following some very simple rules:

• Follow the three Rs -- reduce, reuse and recycle. Reduce the amount and toxicity of the trash you discard; reuse containers and products, repair what is broken; recycle as much as possible, including buying products that contain recycled materials.

• Use paper or cloth bags instead of plastic whenever possible. Cloth bags can be reused for years.


• Buy energy efficient appliances when replacing your current washer, dryer, refrigerator, etc.

• When it's time for a new vehicle, think about a hybrid.

• Grow an organic garden. Use natural pest control, instead of pesticides.

• Reduce the amount of water you use by taking shorter baths, washing only full loads of laundry or fully loaded dishwashers.

• Avoid using Styrofoam plates, cups and containers. Instead, use paper which is biodegradable.

For more tips, including "Window to My Environment," go to www.epa.gov/earthday.


In the end, how we leave the earth that is temporarily in our care will be our legacy. By making every day Earth Day, we can be sure it will be a legacy to be proud of.

Reader Comments

Comments are limited to 200 words or less.

tochris wrote on Jun 10, 2008 12:10 PM:

" i wouldnt hold my breath thinking people will change even when we are 'there yet'. humans are the biggest parasite ever created. we take take take from our host(the earth) and never to rarely do anything to benefit it. 'earth day' has always been a joke. one day. wow. yeah, thatll save the planet. "

Chris wrote on Apr 23, 2008 4:43 PM:

" First of all that is not a real native american proverb, if so who said it.
The real issue is not save the earth, but save the humans. We have destroyed our own environments with overpopulation, consumer madness in this country, and we are only reaping what we sow.
Hybrid cars, who can afford them and they don't really do what all they say they do, I know I own one.
The ethenol craze has hurt the food market industry by wasting it on fuel. If we don't have food who needs a car and gas to run it on.
The probably lies in that humans can't take responsibility to solve hte problems why, TOO MUCH EFFORT. We are too late folks, if you want to quote native american proverbs, go talk to the Hopi eldes, they know more about what is about to happen than any politican, futurist or editor could ever ponder. Earth Day is nice but there is no reality in it. People are not going to change their ways until they just have to and we aren't there just yet. It is coming. "


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