The idea of good stewardship and conservation has been around since long before the official recognition of Earth Day/Earth Week in 1970. Biblical passages such as Genesis 2:15, Leviticus 25:2-5, Leviticus 19:23-25, Deuteronomy 20:19-20, Deuteronomy 22:9, 1 Chronicles 28:1, Job 12:7-10, and many more singled out various aspects of properly maintaining and preserving the land. In subsequent years, the typical human response caused serious depletion in natural resources and wonders. Many attempts have been made world-wide to reclaim overused and abused lands, some successful, others not so.
Finally, in 1970 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, an entire week of official conservation awareness was created. The first Earth Week was held from April 16-22, 1970 and was organized primarily by students from the University of Pennsylvania. The week long program extended the focus from one day (Earth Day – established by United States Senator, Gaylord Nelson, to be recognized on April 22 of each year) to a week in order to better cover, encourage and educate people on the many facets of environmental impact and stewardship.
The activity and diverse opinions of politics is never far away from an organized movement and such is the case with Earth Week and Earth Day. Debates continue over the use, misuse and conservation tactics that should receive more focus and attention (typically in the form of government dollars). Regardless of these issues, becoming educated on how individuals can contribute to better management of land, resources and treasures is a worthy pursuit.
To begin the journey towards environmental education, visit Earth Week.
Also, many cities around the globe have groups that centralize information and efforts for their areas. Such is the case with my hometown of Austin, Texas. If you live in or around Austin and are interested to learn more about local Earth Week and Earth Day activities, visit: http://www.austinearthday.com.
