As the 50th anniversary of the first Earth Day approaches, a Queens lawmaker is bringing increased awareness to environmental issues.
Senator John Liu announced the start of the New York State Senate’s Earth Day Poster Celebration, open to children in kindergarten through sixth grade. The posters will be displayed online and should reflect the celebration’s theme of “Reduce, reuse, recycle.”
“It is important to enhance environmental literacy of elementary school students,” said Liu. “The Earth Day program will be an effective way to educate [the] young generation about the importance of protecting the environment. I hope many children in my district participate in this program and show their creativity.”
The statewide event encourages children to be creative but also to convey a deep commitment to making the environment a better place. Through this project, others will see the importance of recycling, pushing them to imagine new solutions for solid waste reduction.
Former Wisconsin Senator Gaylord Nelson came up with the idea for the first Earth Day following a massive oil spill in Santa Barbara, California in 1969. On April 20, 1970, 20 million Americans participated in coast-to-coast rallies to demonstrate for a healthy, sustainable environment.
Since its inception 50 years ago, Americans have commemorated the day by helping to improve air quality, drinking water and animal protections. The government has passed landmark legislation to support these efforts including the Clear Air Act, the Clean Water Act and the Endangered Species Act.
For its part, New York State has passed the bottle bill and promoted green energy in a continuing effort to make a difference in the environment. The bottle bill, otherwise known as the Returnable Container Act, has reduced roadside container litter by 70 percent and helped to recycle 5.1 billion plastic, glass and aluminum beverage containers in 2016.
Schools interested in participating must submit all entries by April 20, 2020. Click here for instructions on how to enter.
