I have always been interested in protecting the environment. I grew up near Three Mile Island, where a nuclear accident occurred. My parents, who were idealistic hippies, often took us camping and expected us to help with gardening.
My first grade teacher was passionate about monitoring acid rain in Pennsylvania, and I soon joined her in taking stream samples on weekends. It was around this time that I first learned about the greenhouse effect, which is now known as climate change.
As a parent, I now feel a strong personal connection to these issues. I am glad that more people understand the problems, even though finding solutions remains difficult. That's why I eagerly anticipate the Andrew Carnegie Free Library & Music Hall's annual Earth Day celebration, which combines nature and ecology with important information and resources.
The Earth Day event, now in its fourth year, will begin at 11 a.m. on Saturday, April 20, and continue until 3 p.m. There will be activities such as learning about gardening, composting, and native plants, as well as picking seeds from the seed library and enjoying environmental crafts, games, and food. A musical performance is also planned.
The event will conclude with a musical performance by an artist to be announced on CarnegieCarnegie.org.
I am particularly excited about a lecture at 1 p.m. by Donora Smog Museum curator Brian Charlton, who will share the tale of the deadly smog that affected Donora in 1948. This event serves as a reminder of the importance of our shared environment.
The Earth Day celebration coincides with the end of National Library Week, and a raffle will take place during the event, offering gift baskets from local businesses to participants who shop on Main Street on April 12.
As I finish this article, it’s a beautiful spring day outside my office window. The sun is shining, and I can see blooming daffodils and forsythia just across Beechwood Avenue. It's a privilege and joy to be able to witness this beautiful planet. I hope that events like our Earth Day celebration will inspire people of all ages to live a life of taking care of and valuing our precious Earth. Please join us on April 20 and help us celebrate.
— Walker Evans, Library Director.
