Earth Day Musings & Proclamation

Earth Day is an annual global Thanksgiving for Mother Earth, and a celebration of the people who advocate for legislation to protect the earth on local, state, and national levels. While encouraging individual actions and mindful living, Earth Day is a testament to the enduring need for collective action, for which water is a great example for Utah, the Great Salt Lake, and the “over 10 Million birds, represented by 338 species, [which] utilize the Great Salt Lake and its associated wetlands and uplands”.(1) We are water aware, we mind each drop of rain water, stormwater, wastewater, and drinking water, and we rely on the trees and water-efficient landscape choices to help slow, spread, and store some of that rain. Our good choices make for a good difference, so it is particularly heartening that we are celebrating Earth Day. Kudos to Cache Community Connections, the Bridgerland Audubon Society, and the City of Logan for the 2023 Earth Day Proclamation by Logan City Mayor Holly Daines, which I will now read in full:
Earth Day Proclamation

Whereas, The first Earth Day was enacted in 1970 and engaged over twenty million Americans to advocate for a cleaner environment; and

Whereas, Earth Day has now become a worldwide event and has highlighted some of the most critical environmental issues on the world stage; and

Whereas, Cache Valley hosts 323 species of birds, a wealth of trees, waterways, parks and trails; and

Whereas, The City of Logan seeks to protect the Logan River watershed with native plants, and mitigate the decline of the Great Salt Lake; and

Whereas, Logan supports projects which demonstrate and encourage energy conservation, sustainability, and the usage of renewable energy; and

Whereas in 2016 the Logan City Council unanimously adopted a resolution “SUPPORTING POLICY AND ACTIVITIES WHICH ADDRESS AIR QUALITY AND CLIMATE CHANGE”, and

Whereas, Logan challenges every resident to help in conserving and protecting the environment via green activities, such as recycling, water and energy conservation, tree planting, and active education about environmental issues; and

Whereas, This year, Earth Day will celebrate its 53rd anniversary of promoting the value of a healthy planet, which is our health, and respect for all who live on it;

Now Therefore, Holly Daines, Mayor of the City of Logan, does hereby proclaim Friday, April 21, 2023 as Earth Day in the City of Logan, and urges our Logan community to join us in efforts to help protect and preserve our environment for present and future generations.

I like that closing line – “To help protect and preserve our environment for present and future generations.” What a nice way to inspire us all to actions great and small!

I’m Hilary Shughart with the Bridgerland Audubon Society, and I am Wild About Utah Public Radio and Wild About Utah!

Credits:
Images: Courtesy NASA
Featured Audio: Courtesy & Copyright © Kevin Colver, https://wildstore.wildsanctuary.com/collections/special-collections/kevin-colver
Text: Hilary Shughart, President, Bridgerland Audubon Society
Additional Reading: Hilary Shughart and Lyle Bingham, https://bridgerlandaudubon.org/

Additional Reading

WildAboutUtah pieces by Hilary Shughart, https://wildaboututah.org/author/hilary-shughart/

Birds An avian oasis, Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, Department of Natural Resources, State of Utah, https://wildlife.utah.gov/gslep/wildlife/birds.html

Logan River Task Force to encourage restoration and long-term conservation of the Logan River, https://uwrl.usu.edu/lro/logan-river-task-force

The Logan River watershed is located in the heart of the Bear River range with headwaters near the Utah-Idaho border. The river flows southwest through Logan Canyon – a landscape dominated by formerly glaciated peaks, limestone cliffs, and the occasional sinkhole., https://iutahepscor.org/research-focus/watersheds/loganRiver.shtml

Earth Day, https://www.earthday.org/

Resolution # 16-06 A Resolution Supporting Policy and Activities Which Address Air Quality and Climate Change, Mayor Holly Daines, https://cms9files.revize.com/loganut/16-06%20Policy%20and%20Activities%20which%20address%20Air%20Quality%20and%20Climate%20Change.pdf