The year was 1970: Margaret Thatcher became British Prime Minister, the hostage crisis in Iran blew up, rock star Jimi Hendrix died at age 27 — and Earth Day was born.

Earth Day, one for the ages

 

It was born in part because a U.S. senator from Wisconsin gave voice to growing fear for the survival of the planet. It continues to this day because not just U.S. citizens but people around the world have signed on to do what they feel necessary to save the Earth.

Furthermore, it is no longer just Earth Day, it has become Earth Week. The observance centers on the original date of April 22, but starts earlier and ends later.

 

The original Earth Day began with a confluence of public expressions of concern. Democratic Sen. Gaylord Nelson, a former governor of Wisconsin who had subsequently been elected to the U.S. Senate, was instrumental in getting Earth Day started. Rachel Carson had alarmed a large readership with her book, “The Silent Spring,” about the pesticide threat to wild life. Academy Award-winning film actor Eddie Albert, an early environmental activist, celebrated his birthday on April 22. John Muir, father of the Sierra Club and discoverer of Yosemite, was born on April 21. Putting Earth Day in their company was seen as fitting.

 

 

Greens focus on change

For the Santa Ynez Valley, and for the ecological treasure house that is California, the springtime observance is indispensable.

Santa Ynez Valley will celebrate its sixth annual Earth Day a bit later, on April 27, from noon to 4 p.m. at Solvang Park. Karen Riordon Palmer, who is organizing the local observance, said she chose April 27 so it would not conflict with Santa Barbara’s celebration.

“I wanted people to be able to go to both,” she said.

Santa Barbara County’s South Coast Earth Day Festival will take place on April 20 in the Sunken Gardens at the County Courthouse in Santa Barbara. Beginning at 10 a.m. and continuing until 5:30 p.m., the festival will focus on its theme this year, “Reduce Your Eco-Footprint.”

The Community Environmental Council is sponsoring the festival, providing exhibit space for the Sustainability Project and a Green Car Show, as well as a host of other exhibits.

A stage with rock bands and dancers will offer entertainment.

 

There will be wine and beer tastings of locally produced potables, and a food court with flatbread pizza, wraps, falafel, garden burgers, juices, smoothies and snacks. A more upscale dining experience will be available at Elements Restaurant in the heart of the festival.

John Evarts of the Santa Ynez Valley Historical Society said he will lead a group on a hike on the Sedgewick Property in the Valley. “It’s a pretty exceptional lupine year,” he said. “We’ll probably see a lot of Ceanothus, as well.” Lupine is blue and grows in small sets, while Ceanothus are the blue shrub-like plants also seen alongside highways.

Another hike on the Sedgewick property will be led by Larry Ballard, with advance registration required at synature@west.net or by calling (805) 693-5683.

That hike will concentrate on the ecology response after the Zaca Fire. Ballard said his hikers hope to find a variety of wildflowers that reproduce only after a fire.

 

Some see no crisis

The Pacific Research Institute of San Francisco, which is not buying the need for a greening of the community, has released a new study that says Europe’s Environmental Performance is not a model for the U.S. — “in fact, we’re doing better than they are.”

It quotes extensively from the Index of Leading Environmental Indicators by Steven Hayward, a prominent conservative author who maintains that the U.S. is ahead of European environmental activists, not lagging, as the so-called tree-huggers maintain.

Issued in direct opposition to Earth Day and Earth Week observances, Hayward’s statement reads “The U.S. remains the world’s environmental leader, and will likely be so in the future.”

 

Hayward’s book maintains that in the case of greenhouse gas emissions, between 1997 and 2004, the last year for which comparative data are available, emissions from Kyoto Protocol participants increased 21.1 percent, while emissions from the U.S. increased 6.6 percent. Moreover, according to Hayward, greenhouse gas omissions in the U.S. fell by 1.5 percent in 2006 — the first time in a non-recession year.

Hayward maintains that if the U.S. met its goals in reducing carbon dioxide emissions, it would mean “no hot water for Americans, living standards similar to Haitians and Somalis.”

 

Enviros keep planning

Meanwhile, plans for Santa Barbara’s environmental festival are proceeding apace, according to the organizers.

The Green Car Show, an element of the Santa Barbara festival, will feature a Prius that gets more than 100 miles per galloon when it is converted into a Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle.

Other vehicles on view will include hydrogen fuel cell vehicles and cars that run on ethanol, biodiesel and compressed natural gas.

Booths will offer solar installations, windpower technology, tankless water heaters and carbon-neutral buildings.

Freebies will be given away, including fluorescent light bulbs, Chico bags, tickets on Amtrak and other prizes.

 

There will be demonstrations of how to organize a carpool or vanpool, mulch made from green waste, organic and fair trade foods and reusable shopping bags.

The solar-powered stage will feature the Vieja Valley School Chorus, Capoeira, the rock band Hot Lava, Boxtales, African drumming, acoustic duo Fly to Blue, the Johnny Starlings, Environmental Hero Awards, Dominic Balli, Ted Hannigan, and J.T. and the Zydeco Zippers.

Art from Scrap will have a booth and a live display of Monarch butterflies will be featured.Organizers have decreed that no dogs will be allowed at the festival. Earth Day will also be a smoke-free event.