Come Out and Celebrate Earth Day in Wausau

Alarmed over yet another disastrous oil spill, this one fouling Santa Barbara, California beaches, our own Senator Gaylord Nelson pioneered the first national Earth Day on April 22, 1970. That day, 20 million Americans joined hands with the citizens of Wisconsin to celebrate our one and only home planet.

Each year since then, our friends and neighbors across the country, and since 1990 around the world, have made Earth Day an opportunity to joyfully acknowledge our determination to live in harmony with the natural environment on which we all depend.

On Saturday, April 27, local members of the Citizen’s Climate Lobby invite you to a celebratory Earth Day march and tree planting ceremony. Beginning at 10 a.m. at the northern end of the River Walk, just above Dive Point, we’ll walk and pick up trash down to the skateboard course on the south end of Oak Island Park.

Once there we’ll plant the third annual Earth Day Tree in honor of the role trees play in our lives. We focus on our forests, one of earth’s major carbon sinks. In the face of our carbon-driven, changing climate we plant this tree as a symbol of our need to protect and expand our vital forests. Marathon County Administrator Brad Karger will dedicate this tree.

Finally, we will share the opportunity to send our legislators, Representative Sean Duffy and Senators Ron Johnson and Tammy Baldwin, messages urging them to pass responsible legislation to reduce and ultimately end the growing threat of climate change.

Out of respect and concern for our environment, and in a spirit of good will, all are welcome and encouraged to join either at 10 a.m. to march, or to help with the tree planting at 11 a.m. Your Earth Day messages on signs and posters are welcome.

See you on Saturday, April 27, at 10 a.m.

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