April 22 is Earth Day. It is the day to give back to the planet that we have as our home. This day we increase awareness on how we should take care of our planet and all the organisms that live on it. Earth Day started in 1969 when US Senator Gaylord Nelson witnessed oil spills in Santa Barbara, CA, and decided to call all Americans to action. Many universities and organizations united to protest for a healthy and sustainable Earth.
The Mustang Staff asked the following questions to WNMU students, “Why do you think it is important to take care of the environment? What is one way we can help the environment?”
Bow Maiden is a Botany major, from Walla Walla, Washington. “It’s crucial that we take care of the environment around us and the entire world we live in because it’s the only one we get. The earth provides us with everything we need to survive and so much more. If we take care of the environment, then the environment will take care of us. We can help the environment by living in unison with it and the organisms around us, rather than thinking we as humans are superior. I think that will help humanity become more considerate of the waste produced and the products purchased,” said Maiden.
Devon Hatcher is a Freshman majoring in Cell and Molecular Biology with a minor in Chemistry. Hatcher said, “I think it is important to take care of the environment because, as humans, we depend on the environment for everything. If we deplete all of our natural resources then we not only harm our societies but we also do irreversible damage to the planet on which we live. There isn’t a Planet B so we’ve got to take care of what we have. One way we can help the environment, in my opinion, is being mindful about our waste and doing what we can. To me that means trying to avoid plastics and styrofoam and other wasteful packaging or other things that end up in landfills and won’t break down for millions of years. An example is fruit in a plastic package. Fruit comes with a peel in the first place, why does it need to be in plastic? If every single person wastes a little less and cares a little more about our earth, then we can all begin working to better protect our environment and the organisms that depend on it (including us!).”
“It’s important to take care of the environment because not only is this our home, but the wildlife’s around us as well. Wildlife conservation is something that I’m passionate about. There are a lot of different ways! Education is my favorite though. Learning about different ways you can help instead of believing everything you hear is so important. For instance, the whole straw movement to “save the turtles.” Getting rid of plastic straws is good, don’t get me wrong, but a more significant threat to the turtles is actually plastic bags, but most people don’t know that. Limiting plastic waste, in general, is hugely important, though,” said Sydney Paul, a tutor in Harlan Hall, majoring in Zoology with a minor in Art.
Edward Misquez from Mimbres, New Mexico, a Forestand Wildlife major said, “I think it is important to take care of the environment because inevitably the environment takes care of us. Humans are the stewards of the natural environment around us and it is our responsibility to care for it. As much as we have exploited our natural resources we should also protect them at all costs. Our natural environment provides places for wildlife and humans to utilize. Clean air and watersheds, as well as sustainable recreation are also important. This is why it is important to take care of our environment. We can help the environment by first making efforts to preserve wild places and utilize the environment properly. There are tons of ways to minimize waste, restore/protect watersheds, use clean, sustainable energy sources, and properly manage natural resources and recreation.”
For more ways to learn about Earth day and its importance, visit https://www.earthday.org/.
