Center for Sustainability and Resilience at WCC

Photo Credit: Apichodilok, P. (2016). Person Holding World Globe Facing Mountain [Photograph]. Pexels. https://www.pexels.com/photo/person-holding-world-globe-facing-mountain-346885/ 
Photo Legend: A person is holding a small world globe in their hand, facing a mountain landscape. 

By Wanda Bush 
March 26, 2025 

In the early 1900’s, industries across the United States of America were booming with production. Smog, pollution, and oil were being disposed into waterways- convenient, but extremely hazardous. On January 28, 1969, the worst spill in the U.S. occurred in Santa Barbara, California. A total of approximately 3-million gallons of oil spread across 35 miles off  by the time the leak was stopped. This sparked as a catalyst, surging environmentalism across the nation. In Michigan, one may have heard of the many times the Cuyahoga River caught fire due to pollution from paint, oil, and hazardous waste. With environmentalism on the rise and the nation recognizing its first Earth Day on April 22, 1970, people began to take more action. 

Just 5 weeks before the first Earth Day was celebrated nationwide, the University of Michigan held a massive “Teach-In on the Environment” organized by student activists. More than 50,000 people were in attendance, gathering to participate in 125 events scattered across campus and listen to speakers- most notably, Senator Gaylord Nelson, who created Earth Day, and Dennis Hayes, a young activist who had been organizing rallies to get the attention of other students and showing them how they can make an impact. 

Image Credit: Wystan (1970). Smashing a car on the Diag, during teach-in on pollution at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor [Image]. Flickr. https://www.flickr.com/photos/70251312@N00/8202884389/in/photostream/ 
Image Legend: An automobile goes on trial and is sentenced to destruction at an Earth Day event in Ann Arbor, Michigan, in 1970. 

Here at WCC, we celebrate Earth Day by creating activities and workshops in early Spring to contribute efforts toward sustainability and resilience on campus- that includes education! We have several events occurring over the next few weeks including; an apple tree care event, a book club on Manoomin: The Story of Wild Rice in Michigan (by Barbara Barton), and a poetry reading event, a hands-on pollution cleanup simulation a lecture on the many uses of dandelions, and a celebration of Earth Day with student music and dance performances.  

If you want to make a difference, there are small actions we can take collectively as a community to improve the quality of our air, soil, and water. Planting trees and native plants is a wonderful way to contribute to all the natural cycles. Additionally, replacing our outdated light bulbs with LEDs not only means that our lights last longer, but they require less energy (means lower electricity bills!). Therefore, there are fewer greenhouse gas emissions being added to our atmosphere. Recycling is also a great way to reduce waste, and there’s different ways you can do this. If you’re unsure where to take your old electronics, appliances, or worn-out tires, the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy has you covered, if you click the link here. 

Actions to make a difference: 

-Plant trees and native plants 
-Replace outdated bulbs with LED bulbs 
-Recycle and properly dispose of your waste 
 
Additional Reading: 

IISD | The First Earth Day in Michigan 
MDEGLE | 52 ways to celebrate Earth Day 
Smithsonian | Cuyahoga River Caught Fire at Least a Dozen Times 
U-M | Earth Day