BENNINGTON, Vt. — The Earth Day celebration this spring will take place at Merchants Parks at 3:30 the afternoon of April 22, 2022.  

 

This will be the fifty-second commemoration of Earth Day which began in 1970. 

 

This Earth Day is sponsored by Climate Advocates Bennington, the MAUHS group Climate Change Initiative and Better Bennington Corporation.  The celebration is open to the public and will have speakers, music, and skits with audience participation.

 

According to a press release, Earth Day in the US, began after several major ecological disasters.  In January of 1969 An oil rig leaked millions of gallons of oil on the coast of Santa Barbara. On June 22 that same year, the  chemicals and oil covering the surface of the Cuyahoga River caught on fire.  In addition it was becoming increasingly clear that the bald eagle was rapidly declining due to the spraying of insecticides. 

 

These events resulted in a public demand for more attention to the environment.  A nation wide "teach-in" was organized for April 22 and an estimated 20 million people participated.  Subsequent Earth Days focused on water and air pollution, reducing dangerous chemicals and recycling.  Many of these efforts were successful.  The bald eagle is resurgent.  The water and air is cleaner than ever.  This progress means human effort can make a difference.  

 

For more information write to 350cab@climateadvocatesbennington.org or go to the website, www.climateadvocatesbennington.org.