'Green' teams stay true to Earth Day's roots
Earth Day celebrants fixed trails, picked up trash and talked recycling at parks, workplaces and schools across the nation Tuesday, the 38th anniversary of the environmental holiday.
Earth Day was founded by Gaylord Nelson, a U.S. senator from Wisconsin, in 1970. He wrote he wanted to "infuse the student anti-war energy into the environmental cause." Now, corporations, governments and individuals pitch in.
•In Washington state, 18 volunteers repaired winter snow damage on the north side of Mount Rainier National Park, said Lauren Braden of the non-profit Washington Trails Association. "We've had record snowfall, so most of our work parties are working on lower elevation trails," Braden said.
•In Weyers Cave, Va., Blue Ridge Community College students made a statement with a huge display of trash, with recyclables sorted.
•In Albany, N.Y., the Office of General Services announced it is replacing foam polystyrene plates and cups with biodegradable products made from bamboo and grass at cafeterias that serve 9,500 state workers and visitors daily.
•In the nation's capital, Metro riders received free chocolate bars for saving 20 pounds of carbon emissions by riding the subway on Earth Day.
•In downtown Indianapolis, companies jumped at the chance to get rid of old computers, monitors and mice at the nation's first Million Square Foot eCycling Event, which collected more than 25,000 pounds of electronics.
•In Sioux Falls, Kali Drewes, 18, bagged trash with employees of the wireless company Unicel at Sertoma Park. "It's sad it takes Earth Day to get out and clean up," Drewes said.
