The Township Environmental Commission invites residents to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Earth Day on Wednesday, April 22! Fifty years ago, thousands of Americans came together for educational teach-ins about the environment at colleges, high schools and community forums across the country. The day was organized by environmental advocate Denis Hayes and Sen. Gaylord Nelson of Wisconsin, who was later awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom for his work. In years to come, the day would grow into a global movement, with people rallying for a cleaner environment and the protection of natural habitats and species. Today, a new generation has taken up the cause to work for a cleaner planet, inspired by young leaders, such as Greta Thunberg of Sweden, who was named Time magazine’s 2019 Person of the Year. Usually, the Township Environmental Commission participates in a cleanup event within our community, but this year’s Earth Day will be marked in a different way because of the COVID-19 pandemic. We invite you to take part in one of these activities, while staying safe at home: Raritan Headwaters Association (RHA) Activities: Clean Up Your Neighborhood — Tomorrow, before you leave for a walk, grab a bag and gloves, and pick up litter along the way. Afterward, you can complete a survey of where you picked up trash and help RHA understand where and what kind of trash occurs. RHA also ask participants to share their pictures! Identify Litter Spots - If you prefer not to pick up trash, RHA asks you to complete an Observation Survey. The information provided will help them learn where littering is occurring within the watershed, and they can target these areas for future cleanups. Learn more about how to participate at RHA’s Website: https://www.raritanheadwaters.org/earth-day/ Environmental Movie — The Association of New Jersey Environmental Commissions (ANJEC) encourages you to watch “Saving the Great Swamp, Battle to Defeat the Jetport.” This documentary tells the local story of how residents battled to stop an airport from destroying thousands of acres that were, instead, preserved as the Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge. The film airs on NJTV at 8 p.m. on Earth Day. See the schedule at: https://www.njtvonline.org/schedule. Support Schiff — Finally, what better way to celebrate Earth Day than taking a hike at our own Schiff Nature Preserve! The trails are all open, and it’s a perfect way to get outside, and enjoy the environment. Please maintain social distancing, while hiking, and only visit with members of your immediate family. You can prepare to hike by downloading maps at: https://www.schiffnaturepreserve.org/