Sunday, April 19, 2020 | 2 a.m.
View more of the Sun's opinion section
Editor’s note: To commemorate the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, which will be celebrated Wednesday, the Sierra Club Southern Nevada Group held an art and essay contest that will feature cash prizes.
The Sun, which helped promote the contest, today presents excerpts of essays that were selected as finalists in the contest’s two divisions — adult and youth. On Wednesday, we will publish the grand prize-winning essay, which came from the youth division, as well as the winner in the adult division.
The entries were judged on a scored system by a panel comprising Jim Boone and Liz LaRue of BirdAndHike.com, author Gail Collins-Ranadive; philanthropist and entrepreneur Johnny Lincoln; former Clark County commissioner Chris Giunchigiliani; native Nevada artist Montana Black; multimedia artist Mike Davies; Meow Wolf Community Outreach Associate Fawn Douglas; and Taj Ainlay, chair of the Sierra Club Southern Nevada Group.
Based on the theme “What Earth Day means to me,” the contest featured a $500 grand prize, $300 prizes for first-place entries in each of four categories and four $80 runner-up prizes at the judges’ discretion.
Youth Division
Jenna Becker, Las Vegas
When I think about Earth Day and what it means to me, I think about small ideas. These small ideas are things anyone can do, such as going digital instead of printing paper copies. It is about conserving energy by turning out lights that are not in use and by switching out bulbs to those that are more efficient. It is about walking to the park instead of hopping in the car to reduce air pollution. It is about turning on the faucet only when we need to while brushing our teeth. It is about planting trees to beautify our community and our planet and add oxygen back into the air for us to breathe. It’s about taking that extra step to put water bottles into the recycle bin, or using a refillable water bottle so you won’t need plastic bottles at all. It is about taking something that appears to be trash and transforming it into a work of art.
If everyone focused on small ideas that they can incorporate into their daily lives, these small ideas would become global action that will help us to protect our planet from the destruction we now face with so many people sitting on the sidelines.
Sophie Flaxman, Las Vegas
I want our Earth to always be clean, so I recycle, and I also pick up garbage on the streets when I see it. I also try to bring my metal straw wherever I go. I use a hydro flask so I don’t waste plastic.
This Earth Day, I want to plant a tree in my backyard. To help our Earth, I try to shop at vintage, second-hand and local stores rather than going to large, mass-producing companies. … Things you can do are clean your neighborhood, use reusable utensils, straws and plates, start to recycle, and more.
Ammelia Draper, Henderson
One way to take action (on Earth Day) is by turning off the water when you aren’t using it. Try to take shorter showers and turn the faucet off when washing dishes. Another way to take action is by recycling and using less plastics. When you replace your toothbrush or run out of milk, recycle it so it can be turned into something new.
Jordan Paul Guimarey, Las Vegas
What does Earth Day mean to me?
To clean the ocean and save the trees?
Though yes, this is a lot to ask.
For just one kid it’s quite the task.
Not using straws to save the turtles,
Is one of many thousand hurdles.
Reusable bags and food containers,
Seem to me like a no-brainer
Adult Division
Bojana Filipovic, Las Vegas
It is a reminder that even though it is one day of celebrating the events that go on, the notion gets embroidered in my brain how this is a lifetime worth of work that is put in our daily tasks, small or big.
... Recycling is my favorite part of the work. To reduce, reuse and recycle is to give love and health around me.
... As we learn about our ecosystems in schools, I contemplate how I want to be a part of the cleaning crew for our lovely home on Earth. Mars would take too long to colonize, and I would much rather stay where I am anyways. I am always separating my recyclables from trash, reusing bottles or creating an art project, collages and décor. ...
Julie Martin Wallace, Las Vegas
The world has gone on lockdown due to COVID-19. Things are changing and it’s a scary time for us all.
Take this time to step back and focus on what’s important.
In my neighborhood, I’ve seen more people the last couple of days taking advantage of the walking trails. People are getting outside and doing yard work and improving their landscape. I see more and more people walking their dogs. We’re all breathing in the fresh air that has noticeably improved. I’ve seen a significant difference in the smog above Vegas.
It’s a testament in these dark times that it isn’t too late to save the Earth.
William Huggins, Las Vegas
I see Nevada as a wise leader: Since the Wilderness Act of 1964, we’ve protected almost 3.5 million acres as congressionally designated wilderness. Only Alaska has more mountain ranges than Nevada — lofty company. And for all of Southern Nevada’s issues with explosive growth, our valley wreathes itself in kaleidoscopic, fire-wrought peaks born in volcanic battle, waiting for new arrivals to discover their wonders ….
I envision my son and daughter on the centenary of Earth Day 2070, exploring one of my favorite wilderness areas — and I trust that the fight for a healthy biosphere will continue with future champions like those envisioned on the first Earth Day.
Lisa Breslaw, Las Vegas
Scientists have long established that climate change — today’s greatest threat to the planet — is caused by human activity. … However, without women’s fight for access to sound birth control methods and abortions, the population would continue to expand to the Earth’s detriment. ...
Thus, while for some Earth Day represents preserving the planet for future generations, for me it means acknowledging the women who fought for me to have the right not to have children. It means feeling validated and recognizing that the planet’s health is vital for our own generation, not just subsequent ones. It means acknowledging that I too am contributing to its health, that I have a right to bodily autonomy that extends beyond reproduction to include control over the quality of food that I eat and air that I breathe. Earth Day, for me, is a day of women’s empowerment.
Patrick McGuire Sr., Henderson
Earth Day means a wake-up call every year: A wake-up call to how precious our planet is. ...
Earth Day (also) has another meaning to me, and my family. As we would walk with our small kids in the neighborhood, I would put my son or daughter on my shoulders. I would see a big green tree with soft leaves and hanging branches just ahead. I would purposely walk my kids right into the leaves and branch (gently, of course — acting as if I hadn’t seen the tree at all) and exclaim “Earth Day”! Then I would tell my kids the tree was just giving us a reminder that Earth Day should be every day, and to thank the tree for being there. ...
