Earth Day discussions
From lawmakers to park rangers, conversations focusing on the environment
If it’s Earth Day, elected officials must be talking about the environment.
U.S. Sen. Ben Cardin, Rep. John Sarbanes will join Annapolis Mayor Gavin Buckley at City Dock on Monday to talk about policy and legislation creating a network of Chesapeake Bay trails.
County Executive Steuart Pittman, meanwhile, has scheduled a news conference on Monday at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center to announce a new environmental initiative.
And, clean up efforts that start over the weekend will continue thisweek, ending in an annual green fair at Quiet Waters Park.
Monday is the 49th annual Earth Day, when the public is asked to focus on environmental ideas.
Buckley will gather with Cardin and Sarbanes at noon at City Dock to review initiatives Annapolis has taken during his administration and what he plans on doing moving forward.
As part of the celebration of Earth Day, the mayor will talk about the city’s ban on plastic foam, its forest conservation act, creation of waterways cabinet and setting up a no-discharge zone in city creeks.
In October, the City Council passed a polystyrene foam ban within the city of Annapolis. That was followed by a similar ban first by the County Council and then the Maryland General Assembly.
Along with these changes, Buckley plans to talk about upcoming projects and policies.
Buckley will talk about local environmental initiatives like the “no-discharge” zone application for the city, stormwater mitigation, and converting the city lights to LED light bulbs, said Mitchelle Stephen
“The more we can educate kids and adults — the more we can have a sustainable future.” — Shelley Toole, park ranger with The Anne Arundel County Department of Recreation and Parks
son, a spokeswoman for the mayor.
Al soon the table will be converting the position of director of the Office of Environmental Policy to a policy director within themayor’s office.
In an opinion column published Sunday in The Capital, City Manager Teresa Sutherland said the shift is part of an effort to centralize all policy-making in themayor’s office.
But in a column published Monday in The Capital, Alderman Rob Savidge — the council’s leading environmental activist — explained his opposition to the change. He called for the creation of a Department of Environmental Policy.
“The mayor’s proposal does not ‘elevate’ the position of director of environmental policy as he claims. It would diminish the position by giving it only an advisory responsibility with no regulatory authority, no budget, no staff, and no ability to implement policy,” Savidge wrote.
Cardin, D-Md., and Sarbanes, DB altimore County, will join Buckley to announce legislation for the Chesapeake Bay Gateways and River Trails Network and talk about other policies that can promote clean water, healthy wildlife, and access to recreational activities.
Earth Day, established during the 1970s, was created by Gaylord Nelson, at the time was a U.S. Senator from Wisconsin.
In response to a large oil spill in California, Nelson called for a “national teach-in on the environment,” according to Earth Day Network.
That year, 20 million people celebrated the inaugural holiday by attending rallies on sustainability.
Now, local organizations and agencies use the day to raise awareness about climate change and safe environment practices with projects, campaigns and festivals.
The Maryland Environmental Services, a state agency headquartered in Millersville, employees will spend Earth Day promoting the numerous initiatives created with partners— but will also host a waste-free potluck as an exercise to consider the problemswith plastic pollution.
“At MES, where each day we operate over 1000 environmental projects across Maryland and the region, every day is Earth Day,” Roy McGrath, director and CEOofMES, said in a statement released by his department.
“Our mission-driven teammates will be out doing volunteer litter pickups, plantings, recycling, and much more, underscoring our commitment to enhancing the environment, and to serving the people ofMaryland.”
The Anne Arundel County Department of Recreation and Parks put together an “Earth Day Festival” for adults and children to visit QuietWaters Park and learn and meet organizations working on improving the environment.
“The whole point of (the festival) is to provide an area where local conservation can come together,” ShelleyToole, one of the organizers and park ranger, said.
“It provides an area where they can come together and tell people what their goals are and how to get people involved.”
Representatives from organizations including Back Creek Conservancy, Citizens Climate Lobby, Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay and more will talk to visitors about their work and how to get involved.
The festival will also have activities with park rangers like nature hikes, crafts and a kayak tour.
“The more we can educate kids and adults — the more we can have a sustainable future,” Toole said.
The festival is planned for Saturday. More information can be found on the department’s Facebook event page.