In celebration of Earth Day’s 50th anniversary, the Hull Garden Club is organizing a “Clean Your Corner” community event.
“The concept is simple and something in which all individuals, groups, organizations, and businesses within the town can participate,” HGC President Susan Short Green told the Board of Selectmen at its March 5 meeting. “All we’re asking is that residents go outside and clean up their own corner of our precious planet earth on Wednesday, April 22 [Earth Day].”
Green was accompanied by HGC Vice President Nancy DeForest-Courier and awards and grants chairwoman Maria Gianquitto, all wearing matching light-green jackets with the “Hull Garden Club” logo printed on the front and silver reflector tape sewn onto the back so that members working on gardening projects on the town’s traffic islands are more visible to passing motorists.
Green shared a bit of history with the board. “Earth Day started on April 22, 1970, when 20 million Americans – comprising 10 percent of the country’s population at that time – took to the streets and college campuses to protest environmental injustices. It was the driving force for the current environmental movement,” she said.
The Earth Day Network is working with more than 75,000 partners in more than 190 countries in an effort to foster positive action on behalf of the planet, and the HGC is indicating it would like to be part of that effort.
Community members are encouraged to participate in the upcoming celebration. “We envision individuals and families cleaning up around their homes and businesses sweeping the sidewalks in front of their shops and picking up trash,” Green said. “Another group might clean up a playground.”
Because Earth Day occurs during school vacation week, the club is hoping that a large number of students will participate in one way or another – or, if they are not around that day, to perhaps create their own celebrations or activities once classes resume.
The club is putting together an information sheet to post and to hand out before the event, listing the names of HGC liaisons to various groups. Club members plan to circulate the idea in the schools and around town to encourage as many people as possible of all ages to participate.
Town Manager Philip Lemnios suggested that the HGC reach out to various neighborhood associations.
Selectwoman Jennifer Constable suggested it might be a good idea for residents interested in participating to post photos of their Earth Day projects on the Hull Garden Club’s Facebook page. The selectmen gave a show of support for the effort.
Contact thehullgardenclub@gmail.com with questions, ideas, or comments.
