Did You Know? with Mike Freidlin
April is upon us!

Indraloka has an annual Earth celebration, planting seeds and trees and enjoying an earth-friendly and delicious picnic. Join us and celebrate! Learn more...

April in Pennsylvania means spring flowers, gentle rains, warmer days, increasing daylight, beautiful birds returning to nest, budding trees, and the celebration of the birth of Earth Day. Happy B"earth"day, everyone. We all know that every day is Earth Day. In fact, every month is Earth Month and every year is Earth Year.

April 22, 1970, our first Earth Day, was the brain child of Senator
Gaylord Nelson from Wisconsin. As early as 1962, Senator Nelson questioned why the
state of our environment was simply a non-issue in the politics of the country. Senator Nelson lectured vigorously about the condition of our environment, as well as convincing President Kennedy to tour the nation in 1963 and view the state of the environment. The people of the country became concerned. Continuing to lecture across the nation for another six years, Senator Nelson came up with an idea which would forever impact our planet. Observing the powerful student-based grassroots protests of the Vietnam War in 1969, Senator Nelson used the same student anti-war energy for his environmental cause. His hope was to generate a demonstration that would force this issue onto a political agenda. It did just that. The movement took off like wildfire and spread coast to coast. Even the New York Times got into the act and on Sunday, November 30, 1969 reported, "Rising concern about the environmental crisis is sweeping the nation's campuses with an intensity that may be on its way to eclipsing student discontent over the war in Vietnam...a national day of observance of environmental problems...is being planned for next spring...when a nationwide environmental 'teach-in'...coordinated from the office of Senator Gaylord Nelson is planned...." As they say, the rest is history.

Here are Earth Day facts worth noting:
  1. The first Earth Day was celebrated on April 22, 1970.
  2. Earth Day originated in the US but became recognized worldwide by 1990.
  3. On Earth Day 2009, Disney released a documentary film called Earth that followed the migration paths of four animal families.
  4. On the very first Earth Day, 20 million people gathered in the streets of America to protest the industrial revolution. An environmental movement was born as a result.
  5. Every year on April 22, men women, and children collect garbage, plant trees, clean up coral reefs, show movies, sign petitions, and plan for a better future for our planet.
  6. Earth Day was renamed officially by the UN in 2009 as International Mother Earth Day.
  7. On Earth Day 2012, more than 100,000 people rode bicycles in China to reduce C02 emissions and save fuel.
  8. In an Earth Day celebration in 2011, 28 million trees were planted in Afghanistan by the Earth Day Network.
  9. In Panama, 100 endangered species of orchids were planted and maintained to prevent their extinction in honor of Earth Day.
  10. In 1998 on Earth Day, 150 of my students and I planted 3,500 trees as a part of an Earth Day forest restoration project. These trees continue to be seen along a section of Route 81 in northeast Pennsylvania.
  11. Earth day is now celebrated in at least 192 countries.
Yes, every day IS Earth Day, but on April 22 get out there, with a friend or two, and give Mother Earth her well-deserved "hug."

"We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children." » Native American Proverb

Now...our DYK quiz for April:

Since we are talking about our great Mother Earth, which mountain claims the title of the planet's tallest (t he answer will be in May's DYK):
  1. Mauna Kea
  2. Mount Everest
  3. Mount Fuji
  4. Mount Kilimanjaro

The answer to last month's quiz:

How many stomachs does a cow have?
  1. 0ne
  2. Two
  3. Three
  4. Four
The answer is one. Cows have one stomach divided into four compartments.

Until next month,
Mike
About Mike

Mike Freidlin is a naturalist, athlete, vegan animal rights activist, and environmental science educator with 35 years of teaching experience. In his role as middle and high school science teacher for the Abington Heights, Pennsylvania school district. Mike acted as the Middle and High School Ecology Club Advisor, and led more than 700 student members of the Tropical Rainforest Ecology Club on trips to such destinations as Panama, Costa Rica, and Ecuador, where they learned about rainforest protection, the rights and concerns of animals and indigenous communities, and students' roles and responsibilities as global citizens. Mike has served on Board of Directors for Lackawanna Audubon Society and Save The Rainforest.

Mike generously shares his knowledge and expertise with the sanctuary and our supporters for all of us to benefit from the power of connecting more deeply with our planet. Enjoy!


Indraloka Animal Sanctuary  | Mehoopany, PA | www.indraloka.org


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