EARTH DAY

Background  Before Earth Day was founded, air, water, and land pollution were rampant as industries paid little attention to the environment.

Examples  Most cars were bulky, and got poor gas mileage.

Examples  Freeways popped up all over America, allowing cars to travel faster from place to place.

Examples  Harmful pesticides were used that seeped into ground water.

Examples  The Cuyahoga River in Cleveland, Ohio was so polluted that it caught fire 13 times!!  Sparks from passing trains would ignite pollutants, such as oil, and literally catch the river on fire.

The EPA  On January 1, 1970, the National Environment Protection Act was put into place.  This helped to establish the Environmental Protection Agency or EPA.  The EPA is responsible for managing environmental risks and regulating various sanitary-specific policies.

The EPA Today Handles:  Acid Rain  Air pollution  Beaches  Chemicals  Climate Change  Coasts  Drinking Water  Estuaries  Garbage  Greenhouse Gases  Green Living  Hazardous Spills  Hazardous Waste  Health and Safety  Indoor Air Quality  Land cleanup  Land Issues  Lawn and garden care  Oceans  Watersheds  Wetlands

Earth Day  Earth Day was founded on April 22, 1970 by concerned citizens. The following slides detail some concerns we have for the environment.

Oil Spills

Power Plants

Polluting Factories

Raw Sewage

Toxic Dumps

Pesticides

Loss of Wilderness

Endangered Wildlife

The Greenhouse Effect and Global Warming

Recycling  Recycling is also extremely important. Recycling varies from town to town, but common items can be recycled.

Top 10 things to recycle: 1. Aluminum 2. PET Plastic Bottles (Water Bottles) 3. Newspapers 4. Cardboard 5. Steel Cans 6. HDPE Plastic Bottles (Hard Plastics like milk containers) 7. Glass Containers 8. Magazines 9. Mixed Paper 10. Computers

Reminder  We can all make a difference! Be sure to recycle and don’t litter! Simple choices lead to a happier planet!

Sources  Cuyahoga River Fire. Ohio Historical Society Web. 21 Apr  Earth Day: The History of A Movement. Earth Day Network. Web. 21 Apr  Molland, Judy. Top 10 Most Important Items To Recycle. CARE2.COM, INC. 26 Aug Web. 21 Apr  United States Environmental Protection Agency. Web. 21 Apr