Earth Day Edition
We have some news to report at the Mark Baumer Sustainability Fund. Mary, Mark’s mom, is now our president. This change has been in the works and given that I felt that Mary has the greatest passion around the causes of what we established the fund for, it makes sense to have her spearhead our ongoing efforts to make a difference in Mark’s memory. Mary and I are collaborating on this newsletter.
-Jim
Greetings!
Earth Day arrives this week, on Thursday. It seems appropriate to send this newsletter out from any organization or group affiliated with Mark Baumer, looking at the day and its founding in 1970.
Here’s a bit of history about the day and why it matters to me and our board members.
Senator Gaylord Nelson, a senator from Wisconsin, had been concerned about the deteriorating environment in the United States in the 1960s. In January 1969, a massive oil spill in Santa Barbara, California made Nelson realize he needed to do something.
Sensing that there was a way to unite the energy from the student anti-war protests with a growing public consciousness about air and water pollution, Nelson announced the idea for a teach-in on college campuses and promoted these via the national media.
What made it particularly unique was the bi-partisan way Nelson acted. He persuaded Pete McCloskey, a conservation-minded Republican Congressman, to serve as his co-chair. When people say the environment is a “liberal” idea, they are wrong. Nelson also recruited Denis Hayes, a young activist, to organize the campus teach-ins and they choose April 22, a weekday falling between Spring Break and Final Exams, to maximize the greatest student participation.
Calling this gathering-together about the environment, Earth Day, immediately sparked national media attention, and caught on across the country. Earth Day inspired 20 million Americans — at the time, 10% of the total population of the United States — to take to the streets, parks and auditoriums to demonstrate against the impacts of 150 years of industrial development which had left a growing legacy of serious human health impacts. Thousands of colleges and universities organized protests against the deterioration of the environment and there were massive coast-to-coast rallies in cities, towns, and communities.
That first Earth Day found a way to facilitate a rare political alignment, enlisting support from Republicans and Democrats, rich and poor, urban dwellers and farmers, business and labor leaders. And it’s still going strong, 51 years later!
[Mary here]
I was one of the co-founders of this nonprofit. I am Mark’s Mom (I always will be). I am now the president of The Mark Baumer Sustainability Fund (MBSF).
Who better than a mom with a vested interest in the direction of the MBSF? I don’t have Mark but I have The MBSF to make a difference in people’s lives.
I want to continue taking an active role in what happens with the MBSF. I want to continue doing good in Mark’s name. I want to have a say in what we are doing.
It’s no one’s fault, but I feel like we have been side tracked since the world changed with Covid 19. It is understandable. But I think we still need to move forward and not let Covid 19 stop us.
It’s now Spring 2021…Earth Day is coming on April 22nd! But then, Mark would say, “every day is Earth Day.”
For the past year I have been walking on the beach in Biddeford Pool, near where we live. It is a short drive and I have access to the ocean. Lucky me! I get to see all the treasures the ocean gives me sea glass, shells, rocks, sand dollars and also, the TRASH!
[Top photo: a good rule about trash; Bottom photo: typical trash “finds” at nearby beaches]
I try and pick up at least 3 pieces of trash or plastic every time I go for my walks.
Recently, I was inspired by my niece Joann Bisson, Mark’s cousin, and fellow MBSF board member to pick up trash near where you live. In her day job, Joann is President/CEO at Trademark Federal Credit Union and she recently posted this on the company website about being inspired by Mark’s own efforts and seeking ways to make a difference—and picking up trash is one way to do that.
[board member Joann Bisson picking up roadside trash]
I always think, what would Mark do?
- Mark always picked up trash when he was walking, running, or watching a parade. I remember running with him and he turned around and picked up batteries on the side of the road. He not only picked them up but wanted to find where he could recycle them. Another time we were at The Moxie Festival watching the parade. Horses were in the parade and did their business in the middle of the road. Mark went and found an cup and scooped the horse manure and threw it in the trash.
- Stop buying plastic single use water bottles. Buy a very nice or cute water bottle. Then fill it from the water faucet. Use it. I find so many washed up water bottles when I walk on the beach. I stopped buying single use water bottles 2 years ago and haven’t missed them at all.
- Make a difference where you live.
Make a note to keep a spare bag in your coat pocket or car so when you come upon trash that blemishes Earth, you can pick it up. Having a spare pair of gloves in your vehicle is a good thing for messy trash.
Be kinder, gentler. Eat more plants. Touch Earth with your feet
Slow down. Get involved.
Earth Day is April 22nd.
So for the month of April make Earth in your neighborhood cleaner. Pick up trash. Encourage your family, friends, and neighbors to do the same. If you can walk barefoot and remember Mark.
Take a photo of your adventure with Earth.
Share it on facebook with Mark Baumer Sustainability Fund
https://www.facebook.com/markbaumersustainabilityfund/
Lots more will be happening with The Mark Baumer Sustainability Fund.
Wishing you the best in 2021!
Mary Baumer/President
Mark Baumer Sustainability Fund website
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“It’s amazing how often we all forget this is the only opportunity we are ever going
to have to live this life.”-Mark Baumer
The MBSF exists to fund important community projects that raise awareness about the environment, promote social justice, as well as involving under-served populations directly in renewing their communities.