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The Earth Day Connection
Earth Day may only come once a year, but organizations like Earth Day know the environment is a daily concern. People like Diana Mendelsohn know this, too, and express it in their very lives.
Diana works for the Cooperative Extensive Service in St. Joseph County, Indiana - the office that organizes 4-H events. She is a florist, a landscaper, and a member of the local Solid Waste Management Division Advisory Board. She has a horse, a pony, two dogs, a cat, a hedgehog, and she used to have snakes and alligators. Along with other women, she is working toward establishing a nature preserve near her house. And she coordinates the local Earth Day festival at Potawatomi Park, South Bend, in its 14th year. This year the gathering will take place on April 20 from 11:00 AM through 4:00 PM, and include a contest for "Who has the cleanest running car" at 10:30, and a "Recycling Olympics" obstacle course for kids.
Diana's interests include forestry, solar power, soil and water conservation, and edible flowers. She was drawn to Native American culture and spirituality years ago, because of their harmony with nature, and their attitude toward the equality of women. She sees herself as definitely earth based, while being active at South Bend's First Unitarian Church.
"I love what I do," Diana stated. This includes developing programs which connect the environment and children, and organizing recycling efforts in the government building where she works.
Diana sees where government employees are very conscious about the environment, but not so much the government entities themselves. "They don't have a grasp of the concept of sustainability," she noted, discussing urban sprawl and how nature is destroyed for housing developments or industrial parks. She sees government as being "not as dedicated to having a clean planet" as they need to be, "mediocre" in their efforts.
Some government agencies do participate in the Earth Day celebration - which now also encompasses Arbor Day, as well. Last year, the South Bend Water Works had a display, and passed out bottled water. The Solid Waste Management District passed out tomato plant starts, which were grown in the South Bend City Greenhouse.
Diana works to bring a variety of people together for the event, including a drumming circle, bands, and even a tree climbing exhibition/competition. She sees bringing together businesses, environmental groups and those with a spiritual focus as a way to promote the common cause of keeping the planet liveable.
Another face to be seen at Earth Day is Jim Luebke, who operates a small enterprise called "Evergreen Earth". His main display can be found in a small Goshen shop called "The Gift of G.A.B." at 701 S. Main Street, but he also has a booth most Saturdays at South Bend's Farmers Market.
Jim is a Wisconsin native, who studied Environmental Resources in college. One of his professors in the early 70s helped deepen his interest in environmental causes. He joined a recycling group, and over time held positions with the Forest Service, the National Parks Service, and State and County Park Departments.
Having a family shifted his focus for a time, but in the early 90s, Jim's interest was again sparked by the variety of products available from recycled goods. He even knows a man who runs a garage, recycling the oil from the cars on which he works in his building's specially made heater.
The items Jim offers for sale come from all over the country, and even Spain. By making these items available to the public, he wishes to dispel the misconception that "recycled" means "low end". Just browsing through the candles, soaps, paper goods and such makes it clear that items made of natural or post-consumer content are of high quality, and quite unique.
The journals, business card holders and mouse pads, for instance, make from recycled computer circuit boards. Or the goat's milk soap, in the shape of a yellow duck - perfect for a youngster's bath.
One of Jim's ongoing projects is crayon recycling. He works with a woman in Minnesota who takes the crayons, melts and remolds them. Jim hopes to expand his recycling efforts to schools and even restaurants, many of which offer crayons to their smaller customers, to help occupy the waiting time.
Golfers will find tees made from corn. Left behind, as they sometimes are in the course of a game, these particular tees begin degrading within 20 days, and are completely gone within a year.
For cat lovers, there is litter made from pelletized wood. This type of box filler requires much less than ordinary litter and less frequent changes, absorbs the odors far better than clay or other types, and breaks down into sawdust after use. A 45 pound container lasts nine months.
Greeting cards with blank insides - but by no means plain - are a good selling item, according to Jim. The designs of lions, tigers and other animals (even on the envelopes) make such cards appealing, and their cost is no more than a standard greeting card found at the grocery store.
Jim sees his efforts as being a "link" between the recycling efforts and those interested in the environment. Offering glass suncatchers and other items made by St. Vincent de Paul in Oregon, he understands the dual purpose of using post consumer material and providing people with disabilities the opportunity to be gainfully employed.
He would like to expand his efforts into schools and businesses, encouraging more recycling and use of post consumer goods. And there are many uses for such items.
Evergreen Earth also carries Kenaf stationery and cards, beeswax and vegetable based candles, all-natural personal care items - soaps and oils - pens, wallets and much more. Many of these items will be displayed in his booth at the Earth Day celebration.
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