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The Guild Report:  
Special Earth Day Edition   
April 2013 
In This Issue
Earth Day Activities
History of Earth Day
Small Ways to Go Green
Dirty Dozen-Produce

 
 
Earth Day - Ghirardelli Square
 
With Employee Owner
Billy Times 

  

Every year Gardeners' Guild participates in a number of Earth Day activities.  Award winning interior technician, Billy Times, with help from his daughter Hayley, spent the day at Ghirardelli Square talking to tourists and giving out sample packages of worm castings!  People like Billy because he is friendly and knowledgeable. 

In 2007 he was recognized by PIA - Plant Industry Alliance for their "Award of Excellence".  PIA is an interior plant industry trade association.  
 
 
 
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Earth Day 1970 Part 2: Gaylord Nelson's Speech (CBS News with Walter Cronkite) 
Earth Day 1970 : Gaylord Nelson's Speech (CBS News with Walter Cronkite)


  





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Happy Earth Day!  Surprisingly it's still April even though it has felt more like August lately. 
 
Remember the turbulent storms last fall?  Ever shape-shifting, our weather pattern now in a dry spell, got me wondering about how our reservoirs are doing.  In case you are wondering we have a link for you with an up to the minute snapshot of all of our state's reservoirs. 

Fortunately, our water supply is sufficient this year.  See below for more information:
 
We are celebrating forty-two years of Earth Day in this newsletter.  Its impetus was an historic collaboration of politicians on both sides of the aisle and was energized by the anti-war movement of 1970.   
 
All the best,
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Suzanne Harris
510-439-3728

Earth Day's Beginning
1962 - Author Rachel Carson's best selling book "Silent Spring", warned of the dangerous effects of pesticides on the environment.  It ignited a firestorm of controversy and is largely credited with the subsequent domestic banning of DDT.

1969 - a fire on Cleveland's Cuyahoga River drew national attention to the problem of chemical waste disposal. 

For years factories pumped pollutants into our air and water without regard to the consequences.  Big gas guzzling cars were considered a sign of prosperity. 

Although the war in Vietnam was still driving our nations discourse, an environmental consciousness was beginning to dawn in our nation.  

 

And, someone in our government was paying attention.  After witnessing a massive oil spill in Santa Barbara California, Democratic US Senator Gaylord Nelson of Wisconsin was moved to act.  He persuaded Republican Pete McCloskey to serve as co-chair of an organization whose mission was to educate the public to the danger of air and water pollution.

 

   

 

The above photo (taken from National Geographic) shows Judy Moody and Denis Hayes, two of the original nine of Senator Nelson's staffers planning their first Earth Day event which they named an "Environmental Teach-in".  They brought together volunteers from dozens of cities and college campuses around the country.  Hayes is recognized for doing the tough footwork which resulted in national and now global awareness of what is now Earth Day.  In 2000 Hayes engineered an international Earth Day event focused on global warming and clean energy with the help of the internet.  Hundreds of thousands of people gathered on the National Mall in Washington DC. It sent a message that the public wanted action - now.  

10 Small Ways You can Go Green this Year*

*reprinted from Huffington Post

1. Be efficient with your water use:
Don't pre-wash dishes, time yourself in the shower and make sure to turn off your faucets after use.

2. Reuse: egg cartons, shopping bags, plastic containers; give them a second life

3. Turn off your computer monitor: if it is not used for 20 minutes
4. Leave your car at home: twice a week can cut greenhouse gas emissions by 1,600 pounds per year.

5. Use unbleached coffee filters: bleached ones contain dioxins
6. Refuel when it's cool: and don't top off your tank.
7. Invest in Energy Star Products
8. Recycle Electronics: your computers, phones
9. Refill your own printer cartridges
10.Buy shade grown coffee: it is grown under a canopy of other plants providing a home for birds.

The Dirty Dozen*

*reprinted from Huffington Post
12 of the Worst Pesticide-laden Produce - in order of severity

1. Apples
2. Strawberries
3. Grapes
4. Celery
5. Peaches
6. Spinach
7. Sweet Bell Peppers
8. Imported Nectarines
9. Cucumbers
10.Potatoes
11.Cherry Tomatoes
12.Hot Peppers