Town Took Green Strides During Earth Day Celebration

By Kendra Bobowick

Songwriter Joni Mitchell saw environmental problems coming more than 30 years ago when she sang, “You don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone…” As strains of her folk lyrics drifted from the DJ’s speakers and across the lawn at Newtown Middle School on Saturday, April 26, her message made sense to the many environmentalists, conservationists, and others gathered at the town’s first Earth Day Celebration.

Quite aware of what they have to lose, the Conservation Commission members, ecologists, environmentalists, businessmen and businesswomen, and individuals with green interests gathered for the afternoon to share information. The high school’s Global Voice students were seated behind their table filled with handmade Fair Trade items. Next to them were students from the high school’s Ecology Club, who were working with the Pootatuck Watershed Association to mark storm drains. Members Trixie and Genie Santayana, Allyson Makuch, and Marleigh Sullivan walked along Queen Street putting markers on the drains. Chris Jennings and Kelly Lindell handed out information from the table.

Planting zinnias in flowerpots to take home were Shelly Petrelli and her daughter Brenna. On the walkway cutting through the center of the school’s front lawn, Eva Provey sat down with crayons and swept colors across the concrete to make a rainbow. Under the school’s overhang were more activities. Elisa Navarro won a recent Housatonic Resources Recovery Authority poster contest, and her entry was taped up for visitors to see.

Pointing toward the image of the Earth hovering above a trashcan, Elisa explained, “This is so you can see that you don’t want to trash the Earth.” Nearby was a bucked filled with suet, bird feed, and pinecones. Willing to get their hands a little dirty and stuff the cones with the suet to make a natural feeder were Julia Preszler and minutes later, Matt Krasnickas. With a face painted with butterflies and swirls was Sally Lynn MacDonald, who lost her audience when her daughter and friends went on a nature walk led by Town Historian Daniel Cruson. Ari and Ava Schwartz looked through the Ecology Club’s posters, but eventually settled on a lollipop apiece.

Many residents attending the celebration took the opportunity to sign up to receive alternative energy in the home, which their power company purchases from the grid. Others read through information about hiking and camping along the Appalachian Trail, learned about the Newtown Forest Association, solar panels, recycling, and more. Graceful Planet instructors led yoga demonstrations. Housatonic Waldorf School representatives also attended.

Contributing to the Earth Day Celebration this year was Mocha Coffeehouse co-owner Rob Kaiser, who sponsored a recycled art contest that was on display through the end of April. Unable to reach a tie-breaker after judges considered the entries, Mr Kaiser concluded, “Everyone who took the time to put their creativity toward a very worthwhile cause was a winner. Next year will be even bigger and better.”