SierraScape Spring 2020
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BY CAROLINE PUFALT
Conservation Chair

Top: Lemonade at Earth Day 1995. Bottom: Lemonade at Earth Day 2019.

It's easy to take a fifty-year tradition for granted. But as Earth Day turns fifty this April, we know, now more than ever, that we certainly cannot take the Earth for granted. Earth Day began in 1970 as an effort to raise awareness of environmental problems of that era, which included staggering water pollution, species loss, threats to wild places and more. That first Earth Day was centered in Washington DC. But the event grew and helped inspire a movement which led to the passage of the Clean Water Act in 1972 and Endangered Species Act in 1973. By 1990 Earth Day was an international event. Earth Day has always been a mixture of celebration, learning and action. Here in St Louis city events go back to 1989. The local venue has changed over time, eventually settling on Forest Park. Since 1990 Sierra Club Eastern Missouri Group participated with information/action tables at which folks are encouraged to learn about issues, take action on legislation, adopt planet friendly habits, take a hike and more. To fund our year-round work, in 1990 we sold our famous hand-squeezed lemonade and we started selling the Burger- For-A-Small-Planet. This was the inspiration of our organizer and chef, Jim Young. Although veggie burgers are common today, in 1990 the idea that you could enjoy a delicious burger and help the planet was near revolutionary. Of course, we persist today selling lemonade and pretzels. Jim has been our invaluable leader on fundraising at Earth Day and other events. Without his dedication, Sierra Club would not be thriving. The dollars raised have kept our work funded and growing. And all those lemons don't squeeze themselves! Every year dozens of Sierra Club volunteers help with preparing and selling lemonade. Other volunteers stay at our information tables to share the Sierra Club story with visitors. Thanks to all!