April 22, 2009
I have to admit I'm just old enough to remember the first Earth Day 39 years ago! Inspired by television coverage of the huge public demonstrations against DDT and industrial pollution, my brother and I rode our bikes around the neighborhood picking up trash!
Thanks to that public outdry there have been successes, like the return of the bald eagle. But we still have so far to go. Our own Chesapeake Bay waters that we love to paddle on are imperiled by run-off and over-fishing (Frontline aired in-depth coverage on it just last night. You can watch it online at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/poisonedwaters/)
The problem seems daunting, but there are many easy fixes we can all make in our own lives that taken as a whole can make a difference: changing to CFL light bulbs, conserving water, using natural cleaning products, unplugging computers and other appliances at night, and ... TRAVELING GREEN!
The Virginia governor has declared April “Virginia Green Travel Month.” Celebrate with some human-powered recreation and visit green-certified lodgings, restaurants and attractions throughout the Old Dominion. Read our newly posted article here: http://www.burnhamvirginia.com/greentravel.html
Paddle on! (and don't forget to turn off the lights!)
Mary & Bill
