University of Scranton assistant professor JoyAnna Hopper says Earth Day is an opportunity to remember the progress made to clean up pollution, but to also think about the future.
“We continue to have major environmental issues that are going to affect the trajectory of our lives, our children's lives,” she said. “And so it's important to take the time to not only appreciate this beautiful planet that we live on, but also to think about what we could do to improve it.”
Hopper, who teaches in the Department of Political Science, was at the university’s student-led Society for Sustainability and Conservation Earth Day Fair in the Loyola Science Center. Students planted herbs, took home native plants and learned about recycling initiatives in the city.
Samantha Kosmark is president of the university’s Society for Sustainability and Conservation, which has over 300 members.
"All of the faculty and the organizations that are here ... are all doing something that, in retrospect, is small, but it amounts to something so much bigger than themselves," she said.
Kosmark helped organize the fair. She is an environmental science major with an environmental studies concentration.
She said Earth Day offers a chance to reflect on the planet's beauty, which she says is full of life and nature.
And "also how much we do for the Earth and how much it gives back to us,” she said.
'Placeholders for the next generation'
The first Earth Day was held on April 22, 1970, to protest air and water pollution from years of industrial development, according to EarthDay.org.
Scranton Tomorrow gave out indoor and outdoor plants and seeds. The downtown community and economic development nonprofit organizes cleanups and plantings around the city.
"We want people to enjoy the Earth and be involved and make that connection between what's happening all around the world, but also in their own backyard,” Steve Ward, project manager, said.
Ward said Earth Day is more important now than ever.
"We really need to make sure that people are still good stewards regardless of what's happening, whether it's politically or culturally, economically, because, you know, we really are just placeholders for the next generation,” he said.
Ward said taking care of the Earth is as easy as planting something.
You just dig a hole, and you put a plant in there, and you've instantaneously made the world a better place,” he said.
Hopper said the Earth is at a pivotal moment with climate change and that the federal government has taken steps back on some climate policies.
"States and localities have been working on this for a while, even without a lot of federal movement. And so my hope is that that continues," she said.
Hopper encourages individual changes like using less plastic and eating food that's more sustainable, local and seasonal.
But her main advice for helping the Earth is to vote for the environment.
"Fundamentally, where the change happens is going to be for corporations, and it's going to be through regulations, and the government incentivizing certain kinds of behaviors. They really have the power,” she said. “So looking into your candidates at all levels, continuing to vote at all levels … those are the things that are going to make the difference.”
Upcoming Earth Day events around the region:
Saturday, April 25
- Pocono Mountains Visitors Bureau Pick Up the Poconos Day, 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.; sign up to clean your borough or township at PickUpThePoconos.com.
- Pocono Organics Earth Day Celebration, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., 1015 Long Pond Road, Blakeslee; presentations, educational attractions, displays, vendors and food and refreshments featuring Pocono Organics Cafe and more.
- Schuylkill County Conservancy Earth Day at the Frog Hollow Nature Area, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Stone Mountain Road, Schuylkill Haven; community cleanup.
- Pocono Environmental Education Center Earth Day Festival, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., 538 Emery Road, Dingman Ferry; will feature hands-on activities, conservation exhibits, vendors, crafts, food, music and more; $5 per car.
- Lackawanna County Earth Day Event, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., McDade Park, Pavilion 2, 1 Bald Mountain Road, Scranton; free arts and crafts, music and environmental education offerings from participating organizations; Sierra Club pre-event cleanup and planting, 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.
- 2026 Williamsport Earth Day Celebration, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Brandon Park, 880 Packer St., Williamsport; the family-oriented event hosted by local nonprofit organizations and sustainable businesses will celebrate Earth Day and sustainability.
- Endless Mountains Heritage Region Earth Day Hike at Vosburg Neck State Park, 1 to 3:30 p.m., 470 Vosburg Road, Tunkhannock; 4 mile-hike featuring Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Environmental Educational Specialist Amanda Kiernan, who will discuss the different types of trees in the park; wear sensible shoes suitable for mud and dress for the weather; bring water; event is free but registration is required by Thursday, April 23.
Sunday, April 26
- Lackawanna Heritage Valley, NEPA Sierra Club, Lackawanna County Environmental Office and Keep NEPA Beautiful Community Clean-Up, 11 a.m., 739 River St., Peckville; family-friendly and geared towards ages 8 and older which features a cleanup along Winton Street and the Heritage Trail Jessup trailhead, an in-depth look at the litter found at each location and invasive plant removal; trash bags, gloves, vest, and road signs will be provided by Keep NEPA Beautiful.
- Sierra Sessions Earth Month Pizza Party, 1 p.m., McDade Park, 1 Bald Mountain Road; learn about the local Sierra Club Group and listen to Sierra Sessions, a streamed Earth Day concert put together by the Sierra Club that spotlights singer/songwriters.
May 2
- Bradford County Conservation District Earth Day Festival, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Stoll Natural Resource Center, 200 Lake Road, Towanda; featuring food trucks, educational vendors and opportunities for all ages, hands-on activities, local businesses and seedling sale pick up (pre-orders and extras)
Also, the Susquehanna Greenway is hosting cleanups, plantings, and other activities throughout Earth Month. For a list of events, visit http://www.susquehannagreenway.org/event/susquehanna-greenway-cleanup-month/
