April 22nd is Earth Day

By Jamie Lyle

This April again brings about Earth Day.

If you're asking “hey, wait a second, didn't we turn off the lights for an hour last weekend,” that was Earth Hour.

Earth Day, which started in San Francisco, California during the 70's, is a day to celebrate nature, the planet we live on and the life it gives.

To mark this year's Earth Day, it is asked that you reflect and take part in conservation and start new habits that continue year round, greening and enhancing the environment.

The City of North Bay is joining in the movement and will declare Sunday, April 22, 2012, from 12.01 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. as “Earth Day”.

Officials say the municipality can and is doing its part to address environment and energy issues in the community by taking part in and supporting Earth Day activities.

Councillor Mike Anthony, who forwarded a motion with unanimous support by council, says that is a day designed to inspire awareness and appreciation for the Earth's environment.

“It's about getting people to think about the environment and really getting us to think about ways to conserve.”

“Basically, it's a day where people are asked to do something for the earth,” he says.

Anthony says there's information posted about the event on the City's website at www.northbay.ca.

There's also a Canadian website for Canadians about Earth Day called www.earthday.ca.

He hopes local participating groups will be encouraged to register their Earth Day activities with Earth Day Canada and the City of North Bay.

The websites contains fun and easy information for kids as well as activities designed for classrooms to take part in.

In addition, the site has suggestions for adults and business' such as ‘the top 10 ways to help the planet.’

Lastly, it asks people to do something healthy for themselves or their planet and try to do it 21 times in a row, because they say if you do that, it becomes a habit.

“They're encouraging people to take it beyond just the one day thing,” says Anthony.

“Yes, it's about awareness, but they're saying “make a change and make a difference.”