2010 Earth Day:

Celebrating 40 years of Green

Join the millions who are committed to eco-friendly and sustainable living


The SunriseGuide is proud to celebrate Earth Day. We are answering the call to action, helping our readers and supporters live more sustainable lives in order to protect our earth, air and water.  This year the Environmental Protection Agency, created in the same year as Earth Day was launched, is asking Americans to “own the environment, to make environmental protection one of their top priorities.”

The SunriseGuide is here to help you do just that—it’s Our Environment, Own It!

About Earth Day:

Earth Day is widely seen as a kind of birthday for the modern environmental movement. Celebrated on April 22 each year, Earth Day is a celebration of the environment designed to inspire awareness and concern for our planet. The tradition began in 1970 when U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson of Wisconsin announced his idea for a nationwide teach-in day on the environment. Nelson believed that an “ecologically literate public would do far more than landmark legislation to assure a sustainable future.” We've come a long way since 1970, and both environmental literacy and public policy can be credited for these changes. And there is more to be done. We like to say that every day is Earth Day. But there is no denying the power of a holiday to ground us in meaning and mindfulness. 

Local Events:

Visit our events page for a comprehensive list of community events for Earth Day 2010 and beyond. You’ll find celebrations, clean-ups, films, discussions, and festivals throughout southern and coastal Maine. If you have an event to add to the list, please email us.

  Check out our Earth Day
Scavenger Hunt!  

Tips for Celebrating:

Nationally
Locally
Around the House
  • Lights out and electronics free for the day
  • Craft projects with recycled materials —cards, puzzles, magazine pages, etc. The recycle bin is a great source of materials for this.
  • Start a garden or work in your garden, build a raised bed. Learn about and plant some native plants – visit the University of Maine’s resource link.
  • Break bread with friends and neighbors showcasing local dishes where most ingredients used are grown or produced right here in Maine.
  • Spring clean and donate clothes, recycle the rest (FreeCycle.org as a way to give away anything, the Habitat ReStore in Portland or Bath for furniture and building materials, and Goodwill for computer equipment. They take it free of charge.)
Around the Community
  • Commute to work on bike or explore your local neighborhoods on bike with your kids.
  • Explore your local public lands and take a hike with family or friends, check out www.healthymainewalks.com for ideas.
  • Trail clean up – contact your local land trust or trails organization to volunteer for a cleanup project, i.e. Portland Trails, Maine Island Trails, South Portland Land Trust.
  • Team up with your local school or child care center to start a community children’s garden.
  • Host a scavenger using our ‘Earth Day Eco-Scavenger Hunt Activity’ for kids of all ages.

Resources:   

www.epa.gov/earthday/
www.earthday.org/
www.maineenvironews.com/
www.healthymainewalks.com
www.umext.maine.edu/onlinepubs/htmpubs/2502.htm
www.FreeCycle.org
www.habitat.org/cd/env/restore_detail.aspx?place=68
www.goodwillnne.org
http://necarbonchallenge.org/calculator.jsp?cookieCheck=1