Translating concern into positive action

On April 22, 2008, we will be celebrating the 38th annual Earth Day. While I find it hard to believe, I participated in the first Earth Day in 1970. My friends and I picked up trash in my Wisconsin hometown. Some may say our contribution to cleaning up the environment that day was small, and we really did not make much of a difference. I think that we did. Earth Day is all about small actions that people can take to protect the environment because those small actions add up.

This year, I want everyone who lives in the Great Lakes basin to participate in Earth Day and to do something to protect our Great Lakes. Last summer, when the State of Indiana issued a water discharge permit to BP's plant in Whiting, there was a loud public outcry. More than 35,000 people signed petitions objecting to the permit. I saw people picketing at gas stations. People were concerned about protecting the Great Lakes. That is a very good thing!

This Earth Day, I would like to take the concern that people expressed for Lake Michigan and translate it into positive action across all the Great Lakes. That is why I am challenging everyone this Earth Day to help us collect 1 million pounds of electronic waste and 1 million pills that are unwanted or expired. When people do not properly dispose of their televisions, computers, iPods and cell phones, contaminants from the electronic components can find their way into the Great Lakes. Similarly, when people flush old medicines down the drain, wastewater treatment systems cannot clean all traces of the drugs out of the water so the medicines that we take to make or keep us healthy are harming our fish. As you may have read in the newspapers, traces of medicines are also turning up in the drinking water in some places.

The good news is that there is something that we can do about these problems. We can recycle our electronics, and we can properly dispose of our unwanted medicines. This Earth Day, EPA Region 5 is making it easy for everyone around the Great Lakes to do this. We have over 70 recycling or collection events taking place between April 19 and April 27 listed on our webpage where you can take your old medicines and outdated electronics.

Lake Superior's North Shore, Lake Superior Minnesota Minnesota Extension Service, Dave Hansen

I plan to do a little spring cleaning around my house and take the old cell phones that have been gathering dust in a desk drawer and any expired or unused medicines in my cabinet to a nearby event. I hope that you will do the same. Individually, the action is small. But together, our small actions will add up to something great. And that's good for the Great Lakes!

Mary A. Gade is Regional Administrator of US EPA Region 5 and Great Lakes National Program Manager.

Comments

[Ralph]

How is EPA responsible for the 70+ collection events? It looks like you're taking credit for what other organizations are doing to protect the environment.

[Karen Reshkin]

Thanks Ralph. That's a fair question. EPA is not taking credit for all the events although the Agency does expect to help fund about 20 of them. EPA is actually giving credit to the groups taking action. We realize that local and regional organizations are doing real work to make a difference for the Great Lakes ecosystems and EPA's clearinghouse is helping to publicize their events. A big Great Lakes Challenge encourages people to participate.

[Marcus]

Nice shot of my favorite Great Lake. The 'toilet is not a trash can' and neither is Lake Superior!