Earth Day was founded by Gaylord Nelson, a former U.S. Senator from Wisconsin, after he witnessed the catastrophic effects of the 1969 oil spill in Santa Barbara, California. The first Earth Day was on April 22, 1970, when 20 million Americans rallied for a more healthy, sustainable environment. By the end of that year, the first Earth Day had led to the creation of the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the passage of the Clean Air, Clean Water, and Endangered Species Acts. From then on, Earth Day has occurred every April 22. This year, Earth Day fell on a Sunday, and the 2018 campaign is to end plastic pollution.

Nashoba’s Earth Day will be held on Friday, April 27 at the end of the day for the last one and a half hours. Coordinators are not currently planning on following this year’s specific campaign to end plastic pollution. Instead, Nashoba is following the broader theme of helping the environment in general. Also, the school has already made an effort in the past to reduce plastic pollution by installing water fountains that also refill water bottles. This has been very successful in limiting plastic waste. There is hope that in the future another new water fountain can be installed near the gyms.

The plans for this year are similar to previous years. When asked, Mr. Castner stated, “The Green Team is excited about the range of activities that will be taking place on April 27th for Nashoba’s Earth Day…Earth Day can provide students with the opportunity to connect with their local communities while contributing to a healthier planet.” Check out this link for a list of activities: https://goo.gl/MTnqJF

In addition to the celebration on Friday, there is hope to get a greenhouse installed in the courtyard near the raised flower beds that could be used in the new environmental class next year. The goal for Earth Day is to get students to realize they can make a difference, to help them feel empowered as changemakers.