“Whatever befalls the earth, befalls the sons and daughters of the earth. We did not weave the web of life; we are merely a strand in it. Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves…” Chief Seattle.

Saturday was the beginning of Earth Week 1993. Earth Day came about to bring awareness of environmental problems. This year is the 23rd anniversary and we have decided to expand Earth Day into a week; but a week isn’t enough. We need to celebrate Earth Day every day!

It is obvious from new laws being passed and the increased exposure to environmental issues that our society is more educated about important issues regarding our environment. Although there is a rise in people participating in environmentally friendly actions, some are not aware of the importance of environmental issues that we are faced with today or what to do about it.

There are many small steps that we can take to help the environment. One is appreciating our surroundings. If we value the outdoors then we will not feel as compelled to destroy it. It’s important to take time out of our lives and experience the wilderness that is still in tact. It can be as simple as walking around the lagoon or hiking the Rocky Mountains.

Education is a small step that we need to take. As individuals who inhabit this planet it is important to know the issues and how to make less of an impact in our everyday lifestyle. “United for Survival” is a program on Earth Day, Thursday April 22, in the MLK Commons where 15 different organizations will have information on specific environmental issues. The organizations took the time to research and educate themselves about their topic. Now they would like to educate others; so please take the time to find out more about environmental issues.