May, 1999 Page 3 Earth Day Calls for Change By Jenna Montgomery Assistant Editor Earth Day was established on March 21, 1970, as an annual event to deepen reverence and care for life on our planet. In October 1969, John McConnell of San Francisco pro- posed a global holiday to celebrate the natural wonders of our planet as well as our global unity. McConnell gained support of community lead- ers who were similarly interested in caring for and improving our natu- ral environment. The Earth Day movement quickly gained support; catching on statewide, nationally, and globally. The observance of Earth Day alerts concern and interest for our planet. We each have a right to use our global home, but with that comes equal responsibility to preserve and improve the Earth and the quality of hfe. As the official Earth Day proclamation states, think of Earth Day as a way to remember Earth’s tender seedlings of life and people; a day for planting trees and flower, for cleaning streams and wooded glens. The amount of waste and pollution we generate each day is staggering. Our landfills are reach- ing capacity and the ozone layer is being depleted all due to our care- lessness. Animals are being added rather than removed from the endan- gered species list. We face defores- tation from the extensive logging done to provide wood and cleared land for developing houses. Our fos- sil fuels are being depleted when we should be exploring new methods of energy. This gives everyone good reason to act on his impulse to re- claim our planet. Just as the Fourth of July reminds us to love and honor our country, Earth Day reminds us to love and honor the Earth and our fellow creatures. = Here are some tips for Earth care and living gently on our planet: -Recycle paper, metals, glass and plastics. -Repair and give away what you do not need. -Use your hands. -Grow some of your own food. -Share cars, newspapers, whatever you can. -Set up a compost pile. -Use your legs. -Conserve You are your most important resource. Your concern about the Earth, plants, animals and other hu- mans is very powerful in making changes. Your caring helps you find ways around obstacles. Always re- member that you can make a differ- ence. Above all, bear in mind that Earth Day is every day. - LIONS EYE - Chillin’ with my fianceé.” — Gouda Photo by Phillip Yi “Going to the shore, volleyball.” Jamie Pranton : Photo by Phillip Yi People Poll: What Are You Doing This Summer? unfortunately working a lot, too.” — Jennifer Scocca . : Photo by Phillip Yi “Sleep and work!! “I'll be down the shore a lot and — Olivia Karen Myers Photo by Phillip Yi “Chillin’ with my girl.” — Terry Photo by Phillip Yi ‘Earth Day: A Look at What Can Be Done to Save Our Planet By Aimee Stone Assistant Editor As the environment gains the spotlight in the upcoming Earth Day, people across the nation will ac- knowledge the problems surround- ing human impact on our planet. Many major issues will be discussed, contemplated, and then forgotten by many on the following day. However, eco groups across the nation and planet will be hard at work making sure there will be another Earth Day. On March 24, RAN (Rainforest Action Network) demon- strated against The Home Depot. The nonviolent protestors arranged them- selves in store fronts, on store roofs and in the parking lots. Banners were dropped from all sides of the build- ing. The Home Depot is a major force in the destruction of the world’s ancient forests. The lumber and wood products found in the stores are from areas such as North America temperate rainforests, Southeast Asia forests the Amazon rainforests. In 1992, The Home Depot stated, “We have aggressively pur- Ignorance: Cancer of Culture By Doris Ruiz Lion's Eye Staff Writer America. The melting pot. The place where all cultures can live together in perfect harmony, or can they? We as American College stu- dents feel we know everything there is to know about other cultures. But the fact of the fact is that we don’t. Here at your very own cam- pus, inconsiderate remarks are being made towards people of other cul- tures. No, we don’t mean it; we just don’t realize it because we aren’t cultural enough. For instance, I am of South American background and have innocently been asked many times if I speak “Mexican or Puerto Rican”. Most of the time it doesn’t bother me, I just laugh it off. But some remarks get a little carried away. For example, a Jewish pro- fessor was once asked where her “tail” was, and a catholic student was once asked, “Does the Pope condone the massacre of Muslims?” Those comments are enough to anger any- one. We all make mistakes, but we should be intelligent enough not to make-them again. We are lucky in one way, though.. Penn State of- fers a variety of diversity programs and activities. The Black Student League, for instance, does a very good job at expressing their heritage.- There are also other orga- nizations that promote their cultural and diverse programs, and they are always looking for interested mem- bers to join. So the next time you have a cultural question for anyone, first get educated and get involved. Asian American Student Caucus - atn1 @psu.edu Black Student League - cxrl 6@psu.edu Caribbean Club - jpx301@psu.edu Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Friends Alliance - krgb@psu.edu Multicultural Club - cxk13@psu.edu Nittany Christian Fellowship - sxs25@psu.edu sued and are continuing to pursue alternatives to rainforest and other endangered wood.” Seven years later The Home Depot regurgitates that sentence. : Another company that has been under protest for some time is Mitsubishi. Mitsubishi is one of the largest corporate destroyers of the world’s forests. The Mitsubishi Cor- poration consists of 160 interlinked companies, (Nippon Kogaku of Nikon cameras and Mitsubishi Mo- - tors to name a couple), all except two contribute to the destruction. Mitsubishi logs and imports timber from several countries, many of the logging companies the company owns. Companies like The Home Depot and Mitsubishi need to be stopped before it is too late. On Earth Day, people everywhere should fo- cus on the life of our planet and the devastation it is headed towards. We Don’t Ask For Experience — We Give It! . Most employers ask for experience — we don’t. The Air Force offers these powerful tools to prepare you forthe =~ 21st century: : * Education Training » Experience For more information call 1-800-423-USAF or contact your local Air Force BS ~N
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers