NPM Celebrations - Earth Day

April 22nd is Earth Day. Earth Day was founded in 1970 by Gaylord Nelson, a U.S. Senator from Wisconsin. It was organized to "raise public awareness and concern for living organisms, the environment, and links between pollution and public health." As a result of Earth Day, many environmental laws were passed and the Environmental Protection Agency was created. Today, Earth Day is celebrated all over the world.

Let's start with looking at NASA's campaign from last year.

The Three Bears Holiday Rhyme Book (1995), written by Jane Yolen and illustrated by Jane Dyer, is a collection of 15 poems celebrating 16 different holidays including New Year’s, Groundhog Day, Valentine’s, St. Patrick’s, Earth Day, Arbor Day, May Day, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas & Chanukah, and Happy Birthday.

Earth Day
by Jane Yolen

I am the Earth
And the Earth is me.
Each blade of grass,
Each honey tree,
Each bit of mud,
And stick and stone
Is blood and muscle,
Skin and bone.

And just as I
Need every bit
Of me to make
My body fit,
So Earth needs
Grass and stone and tree
And things that grow here
Naturally.

That’s why we
Celebrate this day.
That’s why across
The world we say:
As long as life,
As dear, as free,
I am the Earth
And the Earth is me. 

Poem © Jane Yolen, 1995. All rights reserved.

Days to Celebrate: A Full Year of Poetry, People, Holidays, History, Fascinating Facts, and More, (2005) written and edited by Lee Bennett Hopkins and illustrated by Stephen Alcorn, is an enormous collection of filled-to-the-brim facts by month accompanied by carefully selected poems. Each month of the year is highlighted with a double-page calendar spread in which each  box on the calendar includes one or more noteworthy events (birthdays, historical happenings, holidays, etc.) for that date. At the top of each double-page spread is a fact box listing the origin of the month's name and information on the flower, birthstone and zodiac sign for the month. Along the bottom readers will find a quote by an individual with a highlighted birthday and a report of some weather extreme that occurred during the month. For each of the poems in the monthly sections you'll find a bit of informational text about the person, holiday, or event. Here's the poems for Earth Day

Earth, What Will You Give Me?
by Beverly McLoughland

Earth, what will you give me
In summer,
In summer,
Earth, what will you give me
In summer
Serene?

I'll give you my fields
Made of lilies,
Of lilies,
I'll give you my fields
Made of lilies
And green.

And what will you give me
In autumn,
In autumn,
And what will you give me
In autumn
So bold?

I'll give you my leaves
Made of maple,
Of maple,
I'll give you my leaves
Made of maples
And gold.

And what will you give me
In winter,
In winter,
And what will you give me
In winter
So light?

I'll give you my stars
Made of crystal,
Of crystal,
I'll give you my stars
Made of crystal
And white.

And what will you give me
In springtime,
In springtime,
And what will you give me
In springtime
So new?

I'll give you my nests
Made of grasses,
Of grasses,
I'll give you my nests
Made of grasses
And blue.

Poem © Beverly McLoughland. All rights reserved.

I'll wrap up today's celebration with a poem J. Patrick Lewis sent me for Earth Day.

Earth Day (April 22)

The Globe

Ever since her birth
Ancient Mother Earth
Demonstrates her power
Spinning hour by hour.

Doesn’t it seem strange?
Land and Sea arrange
Nature with the Sky.
We’re just passers-by.

Poem © J. Patrick Lewis. All rights reserved.

That's it for today. I hope you'll join me tomorrow for our next celebration.