Earth Day, are you doing it?

Come On Everybody Is Doing It, photo by B0nes

Sunday (April 22) is the 42nd Earth Day. You can read about Earth Day’s Michigan roots and much more on Michigan in Pictures. Here’s a few more links:

• On the topic of history, here’s a great feature about Earth Day at Albion College that includes a segment on “Trash Wednesday” introduced by none other than Walter Cronkite.
• The Michigan Green Living Festival in Rochester takes place April 22-24, 2012 and is is one of the largest green/wellness events on the planet, bringing together tens of thousands of people eager to learn about healthy living and seeking earth-friendly products, services and programs. (Facebook)
• The state of Michigan has a list of Earth Day events by region. Also here’s the winners of the Michigan K-5 Earth Day poster contest.
• The Flint Journal has 7 easy tips to make a difference for the environment including buying local, organic produce and planting native Michigan plants. Speaking of ways to make a difference, here’s some tips for saving green by going green in Northern Michigan. mLive also has an Earth Day poll.
• From Scientific American here’s news that Michigan Tech grads will be wearing caps & gowns made from recycled plastic water bottles. (it takes 27 bottles for one gown)
• There’s some Earth Day features on Absolute Michigan.
• Here’s a slideshow of Earth Day photos from the Absolute Michigan pool and also all Michigan Earth Day photos.

Erik took this on Earth Day in 2010. Check it out bigger and in his Spring slideshow.

Earth Day, high above our piece of the Earth

Great Lakes, No Clouds, photo by NASA Goddard Photo and Video.

Today is Earth Day (and also Good Friday). You can read all about Michigan’s role in Earth Day on Michigan in Pictures and check the list of Earth Day events in Michigan from earthday.org.

I thought this shot from the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center was a perfect image, and it’s a great lead-in to their Earth Day 2011 slideshow, which looks at almost 40 years of Landsat images. NASA says:

Launched in 1972, the Landsat program is the longest continuous global record of the Earth’s surface. It continues to deliver both visually stunning and scientifically valuable images of our changing planet, allowing us to plan for the future of Earth’s precious resources.

Check this out big as Michigan an in their Explored! slideshow.

earth day should be every day, you know

earth day should be every day, you know { 112 / 365 }, photo by caterpillars

The concept that protecting the only home we have is something we can afford to focus on just once a year seems crazy to me.

Get out and love this world, people – today and every day. It’s one of the best I bet.

This photo is part of Laura’s 2010 ft. 365 project set. See it bigger in the slideshow and check out more of her work at Ell Dy Photography.

In case you missed it, there was a writeup on Earth Day’s roots in Michigan on Thursday that you might enjoy.

Earth Day at 40, Earth Day in Michigan

Untitled, photo by Brooke Pennington.

Many folks may not know that Earth Day has deep roots in Michigan, at the University of Michigan to be precise. James Tobin at Michigan Today has the story of the Teach-In on the Environment that UM held in March of 1970 because Earth Day fell right in the middle of exams. Students and teachers formed a group called Environmental Action for Survival (ENACT) and booked Democratic front-runner Senator Edmund Muskie, Ralph Nader and biologist Dr. Barry Commoner.

Over four days, an estimated 50,000 people took part in ENACT’s teach-in—an astonishing success that fueled enthusiasm for Senator Nelson’s national Earth Day, which drew some 20 million participants four weeks later and transformed environmentalism into a movement of historic importance. (A number of ENACT’s leaders went on to influential careers in the field, including Doug Scott, a longtime executive at the Sierra Club who is now policy director at the Campaign for America’s Wilderness; David Allan, who became a professor and associate dean of U-M’s School of Natural Resources and Environment; and John Turner, who served as director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service under the first President Bush.)

“The Michigan event was by far the biggest, best, and most influential of the pre-Earth Day teach-ins,” Adam Rome, a historian and authority on the environmental movement told the Ann Arbor Chronicle. “It was the first sign that Earth Day would be a big deal.”

Read the rest and see photos and even a documentary from The 40th Anniversary of Earth Day at Michigan.

The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality can point you to Earth Day events all across Michigan, from the Get Clean/ Go Green Earth Day Celebration in Twin Lakes to the Michigan Earth Day Fest in Rochester held this weekend (Apr 23-25) where they expect 100,000 people to learn about green and healthy living through earth-friendly alternatives in food, energy, transportation, clothing, wellness, career, home, garden, finances and more.

Brooke took this photo on Earth Day last year. Check it out bigger in his Spring slideshow and view more of his work on Michigan in Pictures.

There’s a whole lot more in the Earth Day slideshow from the Absolute Michigan pool!

Optimism on Earth Day

Chelsea Tracks – Optimism, photo by aTanguay.

I thought that Andy’s photo is a perfect expression of how I feel about Earth Day this year. While in year’s past, it has seemed to be a day that highlights an impossible task, it now seems a day that we can begin to celebrate our journey towards a sustainable society.

Happy Earth Day, Michigan – hope you get a chance to get out and enjoy it!

Also see Absolute Michigan’s Earth Day post

Earth Day from high above Michigan

36,000 feet over Michigan, photo by bksecretphoto.

Landon Michaelson writes: One of my favorite shots out the airline window. I liked the clear day, the curvature of the earth, the black sky and the cloud layers beneath. Pocket digital several years ago (still easier to use than my DSLR in-flight) and of course I always request a window seat.

Landon is an East Wenatchee, WA based photographer whose work can be found by clicking the photo above or visiting Best Kept Secret Photography.

Last night I attended the Northern Michigan Environmental Action Council’s annual celebration of work on the behalf of the environment in our region. The even is timed as a lead-in to Earth Day and featured a ton of talking and pictures showcasing Michigan’s incredible natural bounty. Facts like “Michigan is the second most agriculturally diverse state in the country.”, the very funny and very compelling wombat video (highly recommended) and all the pictures showing land the Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy has preserved for enjoyment and habitat or is helping to remain in farming and forestry forever.

The GTRLC’s Glen Chown delivered the keynote. One of his themes was that not only has the preservation and promotion of our natural and cultural heritage has proven to be good business in northwest lower Michigan, it also likely holds part of the answer to Michigan’s need for a new economic engine. Glen also related the observations of Michigan astronaut Jerry Linenger of Michigan from much higher window seat. Linengar has logged more hours in space than almost anyone and had ample time to marvel at the beauty of Michigan’s spectacular coastline, green forests and rich farms.

I imagine that he also felt how deep and cold the black is that lies just miles away from the only planet we have.

Have a very happy Earth Day, Michigan. I hope you get a chance to hike a Michigan trail, walk a Michigan beach and otherwise enjoy this magical place.

Michigan Events in April are Dillys

Dillys, photo by docksidepress.

“In the spring I have counted one hundred and thirty-six different kinds of weather inside of four and twenty hours.”
~Mark Twain

Every month Absolute Michigan posts a Michigan Event Calendar, and the month of April is no exception. In addition to Tax Day (boo!), Earth Day (yay!), Opening Day (Monday!) and April Fool’s Day (yesterday!), April has a bunch of great events.

Some highlights are the National Trout Festival in Kalkaska, Vermontville’s venerable 69th Maple Syrup Festival (and the whippersnapper 51st Shepherd Maple Syrup Festival), the Blossomtime Festival in St. Joseph/Benton Harbor, Bellaire’s Great Lakes Art Fair the Detroit Music Awards, the Green Street Fair in Plymouth and the Michigan International Wine Expo in Novi.

April is also Michigan Wine Month and you’ll want to stay tuned to Absolute Michigan for all kinds of Michigan wine-related giveaways & features!

Be sure to check this out bigger and in Matt’s April ’09 Grand Rapids set (slideshow).

Hartwick Pines

Hartwick Pines, photo by Robin of Loxley.

Robin writes: Grayling Michigan. As far as I know, the only stand of virgin white pine left in the state. I believe some are over 300 years old.

Seems like a great photo for an Earth Day in Michigan – enjoy your weekend and here’s a link to Hartwick Pines State Park.