50th EARTH DAY TAKES

On April 22, 1970, 20 million Americans—10 percent of the nation— took to the streets and campuses to protest environmental degradation so severe that rivers were literally catching on fire. That groundswell was followed by the passage of landmark environmental laws, including the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, Endangered Species Act and the creation of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, laws soon adopted by many other countries. Half a century later, as temperatures approach 70 degrees in Antarctica, catastrophic wildfires race through Australia and species die off around the world, the planet’s status seems anything but golden. On this Earth Day, the climate crisis that precipitated these events and trends take center stage: The goal is to mobilize millions, perhaps billions, of Earth’s human inhabitants to rise up in its defense. “The urgency has never 50th EARTH DAY TAKES ON CLIMATE CHANGE Golden Anniversary Marks Call to Action been greater and the stakes have never been higher,” say the organizers of the Earth Day Network. “We are now in an environmental emergency and a climate breakdown. The world needs you—and your actions—for Earth Day 2020.”

To learn about personal actions, including step-by-step instructions on how to organize an event, consult EarthDay.org. Participants can join in a cleanup of trash from rivers, beaches, streets and forests; host a teach-in; take part in a climate strike or campus rally to show united action; join the world’s largest citizen science initiative to document declining environmental conditions and participate in social media campaigns to raise awareness.

Help Collier and Lee counties celebrate victories and support future progress by participating in these local Earth Day 2020 events.

Please note: The events described in this section were scheduled to take place at the time we went to press. Please check ahead to confirm their status.

Earth Day 24,901 Mile Run/Walk Challenge April 1-30 The goal is to collectively see how many times participants can run the distance of the equator: 24,901 miles. Organizers need at least 415 people to commit to run at least two miles a day for the month to try to reach that number. Runners, walkers or joggers of all shapes, sizes and fitness levels may join this epic challenge. Recruit friends, family and co-workers. Log miles and report them via results page daily or weekly which will be tallied toward the overall goal. LittlePerfectStock/Shutterstock.com

Free participation. For more information, visit TheVirtualRunChallenge.com/virtual-raceevent/earth-day-24901-mile-challenge. Share your mission by tagging @VirtualRunChallenge and #VRCEarthDayChallenge.

Earth Day Re-Use and Recycle Roundup 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., April 9 Goodwill Industries of Southwest Florida encourage residents to donate gently used clothing, shoes and books, electronics, household items, computers and cell phones. Also, free shredding of documents is offered by Goodwill Secure Shred. Residents can rid medicine cabinets and homes of unused, unnecessary or expired medicines with safe disposal by Drug Free Collier’s Operation Medicine Chest. Hazardous household chemicals, all types of batteries, latex and oil-based paints, used motor oil and filters, tires 18 inches or smaller, antifreeze, fluorescent bulbs, ink cartridges, cardboard, plastics #1-7, mercury-containing devices, aluminum electronics, ballasts, and medical sharps and needles are also accepted for collection by Collier County Solid Waste Management.

Location: Naples Town Center parking lot, 3759 Tamiami Tr. E., Naples. For more information, call 239-252-7575.

Great American Cleanup Collier County’s “Bay Days” 8 to 11 a.m., April 18 Coordinated by Keep Collier Beautiful, Inc, cleanup signup sites will be in Ever

glades City, Barefoot Beach, Delnor-Wiggins Pass, Vanderbilt Beach, Lowdermilk Park, Naples Pier, Clam Pass, Rookery Bay, Tiger Tail Beach, Golden Gate Canal, Isle of Capri, Ten Th ousands Islands National Wildlife Refuge, Naples Bay, Haldeman Creek, Immokalee, Naples Cruise Club Key Island and FSW’s adopted canal.

Volunteers needed. For more information, call 239-580-8319, email JZimmerman798@ comcast.net or visit KeepAmericaBeautiful.com.

FGCU Earth Day Celebration 1 to 4 p.m., April 18 Meet and greet with local conversation groups, keynote discussion with bestselling author Mary Alice Monroe with Q&A, plus book signing, and panel discussion with FGCU environmental experts.

Location: FGCU Veterans Pavilion, adjacent to Campus Library, 10501 FGCU Blvd. S., Fort Myers. For more information, visit LeeLibrary.LibraryMarket.com/events/bestselling-author-mary-alice-monroe-earthday-celebration.

Movie on the Lawn: Hoot 8 to 9:30 p.m., April 21 Celebrate Earth Day and view this adaptation of a Carl Hiassen book about a group of Florida kids on a mission to save an endangered burrowing owl population from development. Outdoor bar, including adult beverages, popcorn and food, provided by Naples Flatbread. Wellbehaved pets are welcome.

Location: Mercato, 9132 Strada Place, Naples. Facebook.com/events/s/movie-onthe-lawn-hoot/2514287838680648.

Earth Day at the Refuge J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., April 22 Visitors can bike or hike Wildlife Drive for free from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., with free bike rentals provided by Tarpon Bay Explorers (pick up at Tarpon Bay Recreation Area). At 9 a.m. meet at the fl agpole for a guided bike tour. Th e fi rst 50 guests receive a free gift . Enjoy cookies and a Blue Goose meet-andgreet in the Visitor & Education Center at 10 a.m. Have fun with Animal Origami all day in the Center. Watch the fi lm Plastic Paradise for free at 1 p.m. At 2 p.m., the refuge leads a Scavenger Hunt on Indigo Trail.

Location: 1 Wildlife Dr., Sanibel. For more information, call 239-472-1100, ext. 236, or visit DingDarlingSociety.org.

Lee County Great American Cleanup a.k.a. “Earth Day Trash Bash” 8 to 11 a.m., April 25 Keep Lee County Beautiful recruits volunteers, site captains, area managers and local sponsors to foster unity and strengthen bonds through county-wide beautifi cation and improvement eff orts, part of the nationwide Great American Cleanup eff ort. Projects may include community gardens, habitat restoration, invasive plant removal, litter-free events, litter cleanups, landscape maintenance and planting, playground/park equipment restoration and tree plantings.

Location sites and event dates vary. For more information or to register, call 239- 334-3488 or visit klcb.org/great-americancleanup.html.

Citizen’s Climate Lobby and Future Forestry Earth Day Planting Event 9 to 11 a.m., April 25 Commemorating the 50th celebration of Earth Week and the day aft er, Arbor Day.

Location: Burnst Store Rd. and NW 12th Terrace, Cape Coral. For more information, email FortMyersccl@gmail.com.

We need to get angry and understand what is at stake. And then we need to transform that anger into action and to stand together united and just never give up. ~Greta Thunberg

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