What began with an idea by a Wisconsin senator and his intern 40 years ago spread across the globe to become Earth Day, an event often synonymous with local cleanups and special events planned around the April 22 observation.
Several local organizations wanting to make the community a cleaner place are scheduling events on and around the earthen observance.
Helping coordinate a trash pickup around the city area, Grow-Greens of Williamsport volunteer Caroline Brady is involved with a new group that exemplifies expanding environmental awareness.
Established in January 2009, Grow promotes community sustainability and environmental awareness, according to Brady.
A handful of group members got together to pickup rubbish strewn around the Pajama Factory in November.
Expanding their reach to clean an infinite amount of garbage wherever it lies, Brady is welcoming anyone who wants to volunteer.
"There's a lot of garbage on the streets of Williamsport," Brady said.
Increasing outreach is in the spirit of environmental awareness that she said tookoff after the first national Earth Day on April 22, 1970.
Sen. Gaylord Nelson of Wisconsin and his legislative assistant successfully recruited 2,000 colleges and 12,000 primary and secondary schools to hold environmental teach-ins, which Brady said resulted in 20 million participants.
After the inaugural Earth Day, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency was established.
Legislation, Brady said, resulted included the Clean Water, Endangered Species, Safe Drinking Water and Coastal Zone Management acts.
The largest amount of people ever to get involved in Earth Day was a mere few years ago, as Brady said an estimated 1 billion participants joined in for the 2007 observance.
Community cleanups
This year, a number of communities will conduct spring cleanups, in which yard debris may be placed at the curb for collection.
Earth Day week kicks off the city's annual spring collection of yard debris, which will continue into May.
The collection is limited to organic material including shrubs, small limbs, grass and other yard waste. The refuse will be collected by the streets and parks department if piled curbside.
Debris in plastic bags will not be collected.
In other communities:
Muncy Borough employees will gather bagged curbside leaves east of Main Street from Monday to April 22 and bagged spring cleaning trash April 23. West of Main Street, leaves will be picked up from April 26 to 29 and spring trash, April 30. All debris must be ready to be collected by 7 a.m.
Most yard waste will be collected curbside in Old Lycoming Township from Monday morning through April 23. Mulch will be received at the Princeton Avenue drop-off point from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. April 24. Leaves will be collected in the fall.
The annual Hughesville Borough tree trimming pick-up is set for the week of April 26. Residents are asked to place small branches, 6 inches in diameter or less, at the street curb. Leaves, grass and anything left in an alley will not be collected.
Other events
Other events to mark Earth Day include:
Bucknell University Solar Scholars workshop on solar energy basics, 9 a.m. Saturday at the university's Elaine Langone Center's Gallery Theater. Advance registration required by calling Zak Elmanakhly at 845-380-8157.
PPL Electric Utilities is hosting two area Earth Month activities at the company's Montour Environmental Preserve, Washingtonville. They are children's Get out for Earth Day, 1:30 p.m. Saturday, and Spring Woodland Wildflowers Walk for all ages, 1:30 p.m. April 24.
Lycoming Environmental Awareness Foundation recycled craft show, 6 p.m. Tuesday at Pennington Lounge, Lycoming College.
Lycoming College environmental audit and alternative energy project updates, 7 p.m. Tuesday at Heim Hall, Room G-11.
Larson Design Group clean-up at Water Tower Square, 1000 Commerce Park Drive, 4 to 6 p.m. April 22. Space near the parking lots will be cleared to make way for picnic tables and other landscape improvements. Interested volunteers may call Amanda Dalla Piazza at 323-6603.
LEAF recycled fashion show, 9 p.m. April 22 at Lycoming College, Pennington Lounge.
Comcast Cares Day - Lycoming County, 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 24. Register 8 a.m. at the YWCA, 815 W. Fourth St. Work includes landscaping, mulching, planting, painting lines on parking stalls, interior painting and other improvement projects at the YWCA.
Grow-Greens of Williamsport community-wide trash pick-up, 8:30 a.m. April 24. Begins at the Pajama Factory, 1307 Park Ave. Celebration will follow from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Pajama Factory. To get involved, call Caroline at 898-5977 or Jen at 323-7650.
World's End State Park Earth Day event, April 24. Park cleanup from 9 a.m. to noon. Children's crafts from 12:45 to 2 p.m. Meet at the park office. Bring a bagged lunch. Call Ian Loewen at 924-3287.
R.B. Winter State Park volunteers spring clean-up, 9 a.m. to noon April 24. People needed to rake campground leaves, litter and brush clean-ups, trail maintenance, garden revitalization and other projects. Call the Mifflinburg park office at 966-1455.
The city will hold its traditional Arbor Day ceremony at the Dr. Kenneth L. Cooper bandshell in Brandon Park at 1 p.m. April 30.
P.D. Mitchell's Living the Dream Community Revitalization Day is set for 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. May 1 with a litter clean-up around The Center. A car wash and bake sale also is planned at The Center, where clean-up participants will meet in the morning. Anyone interested may call 322-5515.
