Through the year we usually plant trees and consistently look at new and better ways of reducing our effect on our environment, being green and saving money that way. It is a great time to be reminded of our symbiotic relationship and how we need to protect, heal and help the world be capable of recharging itself.

My challenge to you is to get the word out, educate the people who are unaware of the details that spin together, the complexity and simplicity of reducing our effect globally.  Write to me and tell me your stories.  I will even throw in a prize to the 15th person; a indoor organic herb garden with plants to be enjoyed all year round!

The idea that the environment is not on the top of our priorities, politically bothered Senator Gaylord Nelson way back in 1962, so he convinced President Kennedy to go on a national conservation tour hoping to elevate the awareness and priority.

This started the seed of thought, however, did not get a movement going until he decided to utilize the power of the Vietnam protesters, which in 1970 practically organized itself.

Today, the world recognizes this day with; clean-up projects, festivals, tree plantings, charity events,  T.V. Specials, but, whatever you do, make a change, even if it is the promise of not using pesticides or non-organic fertilizers on your lawn. Do Something!!!

Education

For children there are many learning opportunities:
Tune Into Your Health and Environment
The Environmental kids clubs
Planet Protectors Club For Kids

And yes, the retail establishment has even picked it up as a “sale” day!
You can even get a free e-book focused on the earth day.

Even for the PS3 child you can’t get outside, there are online games focused on this day.

Here are some great links for eco-friendly sites and destinations.

Atlanta

Grant Park Conservancy
Georgia Native Plant Society
Oakhurst Community Garden Project
Chastain Park Conservancy
Habitat for Humanity Atlanta
Trees Atlanta
Friends of Collier Heights Park
Atlanta Bicycle Campaign
West Atlanta Watershed Alliance
Sierra Club—Georgia Chapter
Georgians for Smart Energy
Keep Forsyth County Beautiful
Park Pride
Keep East Point Beautiful

Austin

The Rhizome Collective
Austin Habitat for Humanity
Keep Austin Beautiful
Watershed Protection & Development Review
The Trail Foundation
1 House at a Time
The Hundred Acre Wood
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
Sustainable Food Center
UpLift Austin
Urban Roots, a program of Youth Launch
City of Austin’s Wildland Conservation Division
Austin Green Art
Wimberley Valley Watershed Authority
Greenbelt Guardians
Austin Ridge Riders
Austin YMCA
The Ann Richards School for Young Women Leaders
Austin on Two Wheels
City of Austin Watershed Protection and Development Review Department
Hands of the Earth
Austin EcoNetwork
Open Green Map

Boston

Stone Zoo
Brookwood Community Farm
Massachusetts Horticultural Society
EarthWorks
The Food Project
Mystic River Watershed Association
Eagle Eye Institute
Regional Environmental Council, Inc.
Boston Bikes
Hub On Wheels
Mass Powershift
HOMEGROWN
Blue Heron Organic Farm
Mass Audubon

Chicago

Friends of the Forest Preserves
Grant Park Conservancy
Chicago Park District
Alliance for the Great Lakes
Resource Center/City Farm
The Friends of The Chicago River

Denver

Growing Gardens
South Suburban Parks and Recreation District
Bluff Lake Nature Center
City of Denver, Animal Control
City of Denver, Dept. of Parks and Recreation
Rock the Earth
City of Denver Green Print Program
Earthfest Boulder
Center for Resource Conservation & Earth Fest Boulder
City of Aurora Xeriscape Demonstration

Washington DC

Fairfax ReLeaf
Alice Ferguson Foundation
DC Habitat for Humanity
Friends of Rock Creek’s Environment
Anacostia Watershed Society
Mount Rainier Bicycle Co-operative
Phoenix Bikes
The Green Apple Festival
Black Cat Ivy

Los Angeles

The Village Gardeners of the Los Angeles River
Music For Relief
The Pacific American Volunteer Association
North East Trees
San Pedro Oiled Wildlife Care and Education Center, San Pedro, CA
City Year
Hollywood for Habitat for Humanity

New York

Office of Recycling Outreach and Education (a program of Council on the Environment of New York City)
Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy
Randall’s Island Sports Foundation
The Gaia Institute
New York City Parks
The Lower Eastside Girls Club
Bronx Green-Up • The New York Botanical Garden
Riverside Park Fund
Solar One
The Saw Mill River Coalition
Lower East Side Ecology Center
Prospect Park Alliance
New York City Department of Parks and Recreation
Just Food
The Brooklyn New School - PS 146
Build It Green! NYC
Wave Hill
MillionTreesNYC
Interdependence Project
New York Restoration Project

San Francisco

Habitat for Humanity—Greater Bay Area (San Francisco)
Habitat for Humanity—East Bay
San Francisco Recreation & Parks Natural Areas Program
350.org
Literacy for Environmental Justice
Save the Bay
SF Recreation & Parks Natural Areas Program
SF Recreation & Parks (Golden Gate National Park)
Koshland Park Community Learning Garden
Audubon Canyon Ranch’s Bolinas Lagoon Preserve
ChangeSF
Ghirardelli Square
Ella Baker Center for Human Rights
Hayes Valley Parks

Seattle

EarthCorps
Clean & Green Seattle
Environmental Outreach and Stewardship (EOS) Alliance
Blue Planet Run
Angel Morgan P-Patch
Green Seattle Partnership
Friends of Deadhorse Canyon / Taylor Creek
Friends of Madrona Woods
Georgetown Community Council
Environmental Coalition of South Seattle
Seattle Parks Department
Cascade Land Conservancy
Friends of Longfellow Creek