Plastic bottles, Jewel bags, doughnut wrappers, and uneaten chicken. As the weather gets warmer, students enjoy a 51 minute lunch period with the company of the sun, grass, and breezy summer-is-almost-here air. The aftermath of a moment of freedom results in the transformation of Lane’s front lawn to a garbage dump.

This year, Earth Day will mark its 45th anniversary since its establishment in 1970, through the promotion and establishment of an environmental movement across the United States in hopes for heightened consciousness on the effects of war and pollution.

The 1960s: an era in which change was seen everywhere and fought for by many. Counterculture and activism sought the end of the Vietnam War, and became the trigger of environmental awareness. After witnessing the atrocities of an oil spill in Santa Barbara, California, U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson brought upon the country’s first “sit-in” on April 22, 1970 in which people attended rallies, gave speeches, and protested against the war in Vietnam and its effects on the environment all across the nation.

The sit-in then resulted in the creation of the United States Environmental Protection Agency, which sought to protect human health as well as the environment by writing and enforcing regulations to be passed on to congress. The Clean Air, Clean Water, and Endangered Species Acts were then passed marking the beginning of efforts to help sustain the health of the planet as well as the people on it.

And thus, Earth Day was born.

With war came deforestation, along with the destruction of vegetation, landscape, and natural habitats exuding a ripple effect amongst all natural living organisms. Still holding true today, war along with many other factors, have played a major role in the alteration of the environment and loss of natural resources through the air we breathe, water we drink, and the land we walk on.

Since 1970, Earth Day has gone global along with the establishment of Earth Day Network, an organization whose mission is to expand, diversify, and mobilize the environmental movements through education, public policy, and activism. With 17,000 partners in 174 countries, they have been able to coordinate community development and environmental protection activities. On every Earth Day, the Network offers a variety of opportunities for “acts of green” such as donations and contributions to their campaigns.

According to Conserve-Energy-Future, the United States now produces 30% of the world’s waste, uses 25% of the world’s natural resources, and one single person in this country produces two kilograms of waste per day. On average, Americans buy more than 29 million plastic bottles of water every year, and only 13% of these bottles are recycled. The other 87% of water bottles end up in many places, including the 46% of lakes in the United States that are so polluted they create a danger for the public as well as aquatic life.

In efforts to reduce it’s carbon footprint, Lane has become eco friendly by providing recycling bins to classrooms, as well as the contributions of efforts by student-led organizations such as Environmental Club.

President Ellyse Retana, Div.582, and Vice President Diana Hernandez, Div.566,  lead Lane’s very own Environmental Club every Wednesday and Friday to keep the school clean by taking care of recycling. This year, the club will be expanding their efforts by adding on-campus clean ups located on places such as the lawn, and by helping the school become more eco friendly by making recycling easier.

“We hope that the school realizes that every little thing like recycling a plastic bottle or recycling a sheet of paper really does help keep the school green and ultimately helps the environment. We hope everyone starts practicing eco friendly activities not only in school but in their homes too,” Hernandez said.

In regards to Earth Day, the club will be participating in an event at Clark Park where they will be cleaning out the park in preparation for tree planting. Thereafter, on May 23, the club will be going back to help plant trees.

“[Environmental Club] is really trying to establish a presence here at school other than just recycling, we want to make sure that people at school know what we’re doing and can actively participate without having to come to recycling once a week,” Retana said.

There are many ways to incorporate eco friendly methods in lifestyle. Small actions such as shutting off lights when exiting a room, being aware of what may and may not be recycled when throwing trash away, being conscious of everyday consumptions, and supporting eco friendly stores as well as local products not only help the environment, but also help improve personal health. In the end it is important to remember to give back to Mother Earth, a place that has provided a home to millions and respect nature in its most purest form. To learn how you can help with the conservation of the environment, visit http://www.earthday.org/ and pledge your act of green.