Northshore magazine showcases the best that the North Shore of Boston, MA has to offer.
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NORTHSHOREMAG.COM 30 APRIL 2020 L I V E + P L AY This year, April 22 will mark the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, the annual day of action and education that has been helping drive the modern environmental movement since 1970. Earth Day was founded by Senator Gaylord Nelson of Wisconsin with the goal of calling so much attention to environmental issues that the government couldn't help but act. On that first Earth Day, millions of activists who had been fighting against water pollution, toxic waste, wildlife destruction, and other perils came together in common cause: to fight for the health of our planet. Half a century later, the landscape has changed. The Environmental Protection Agency and several environmental laws have helped rein in some of the worst pollution, and many toxic chemicals have been banned. Yet, fossil fuels and climate change remain pressing concerns. This year, it is expected that more than one billion people around the world will participate in some action in honor of Earth Day. If you'd like to be one of them, there are plenty of opportunities right near home. E N G AG E Learn, explore, and express yourself at the Peabody Essex Museum. Altough the museum is closed temporarily, during the week of Earth Day, the museum will host artist Konstantin Dimopoulos foran outside art installation. Artist Konstantin Dimopoulos will apply Konstantin Dimopoulos (left), applies an environmentally safe vivid blue pigment to trees outside the museum, a project intended to provoke conversation about the importance of trees to our ecosystem. PHOTOGRAPHS, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP, LEFT COURTESY OF PEABODY ESSEX MUSEUM, BY DAVID BROWN, AND BY SHUTTERSTOCK an environmentally safe vivid blue pigment to trees outside the museum, a project intended to provoke conversation about the importance of trees to our ecosystem. The connection between art and fighting climate change is strong and essential, says Jane Winchell, director of the museum's Art & Nature Center. "It is really clear right now that we need creative thinking about how we move forward," she says. "There is nothing like being around artists for opening people's minds to new ways of thinking of looking at problems." C L E A N U P Get hands-on at one of the many clean-up events organized by communities, businesses, and nonprofits across the region. On Earth Day, the GroundSwell Surf Café in Salisbury will sponsor a daylong clean-up-for-coffee deal: Bring a bucket of trash collected from the beach to the café and earn a free cup of coffee. On April 25 (the Saturday after Earth Day), Crane Beach will play host to a beach clean-up effort. In Rockport, residents are encouraged to organize their own clean-up efforts throughout the week; on April 25, a town- sponsored event will clean a waterfront site. If there are no pre-planned clean-ups scheduled for your favorite park or beach, consider putting together your own. Keep Massachusetts Beautiful offers guidelines for organizing and publicizing a great litter clean- up, tree planting, or park maintenance event, and can even provide custom value-priced t-shirts to volunteers. keepmassbeautiful.org S P E A K U P To add your voice to the growing chorus calling for action against climate change, join in an Earth Day. Take to your email and phone to let your lawmakers know where you stand. In Massachusetts, the state legislature is considering several bills aimed at reducing greenhouse gas pollution, including ones that would transition the state to 100 percent renewable energy, tighten energy efficiency rules for appliances, and require the MBTA to switch to zero-emission electric buses. Visit malegislature.gov to find contact information for your state senator and repre- sentative, and then call or write to let them know you want action. The planet will thank you. earthday2020boston.org North Shore residents volunteer to clean the beaches in our towns.