by Dawn Gunn

April 22 is Earth Day, a day set aside for every person to think about and honor the planet that provides each of us with all we require to exist. On this day please take a moment to notice the condition of our small corner on this small planet. Think about ways each of us can take better care of our Earth. If every person would do this, and then follow through with a few simple actions that would make a difference in our environment, there would be a much brighter future for our children.

We would not have to alter our entire way of living in order to make that difference. Just a few simple easy changes can make a far reaching impact. Each of these changes would cost only a few moments. What a small price to pay for our children.

One of the simplest things we can do is recycle. Just take a few minutes and recycle those newspapers and magazines, recycle your aluminum and metal cans, and especially recycle your plastic bottles. This is a significant step we can take toward a brighter future for our Earth.

To make this step even simpler, we no longer have to sort these items. There are recycle bins located at most of our dump sites in Southampton County. By recycling these items you will prevent tons of reusable materials from going into the landfills, thus saving money and our environment.

Our roadways are one of the most obvious areas where we can make a difference and honor our Earth. Please do not litter! Take a moment and put a bag in your vehicle for your trash.

Separate your recyclables at home then dispose of your waste from your vehicle properly. This is a very simple step that you can start doing today that will help ensure a better environment for your children that costs nothing.

The litter on our roads and in our rivers and forests is devastating to our communities and a crime we must all pay taxes to address. But until the judges in our courtrooms and each of us choose to honor our small planet, the cost will grow ever higher and future generations will suffer the ultimate price.

Just a few simple changes we can make each day will provide immediate improvements in our corner of this precious Earth that we all must share. Wake up and become aware and truly notice our environment. Decide to take a step and recycle.

Be respectful and carry that fast-food trash a few extra miles to dispose of it properly. Be a conscientious citizen and insist that those people whose salaries our taxes pay, and whom we elect to sit where they sit, make the effort to change and take the steps that honor our Earth and secure a brighter future for our children.

Earth Day should be every day, so let’s try these simple changes and make that step. Become aware and begin to care.

Rethink. Reduce. Re-use and recycle every day!

DAWN GUNN is a representative of the Southampton County Litter Control Board.