By Nazario Rodriguez Jr.
Horizon news staff

Over 40 years ago, American Senator Gaylord Nelson came about with the idea of Earth Day. It was a time his country showed increasing evidence of environmental degradation but as he said political establishments are not taking any chances to address the issue.
"The environmental issue simply was not to be found on the nation's political agenda. The people were concerned, but the politicians were not."
After several years of organizing and educating especially in the grassroots level (students, educators, professionals) Earth Day was formally launched in 1970.
"Earth Day worked because of the spontaneous response at the grassroots level. We had neither the time nor resources to organize 20 million demonstrators and the thousands of schools and local communities that participated. That was the remarkable thing about Earth Day. It organized itself."
On April 22 each year, people around the world join in celebrating Earth Day. Governments and environmental organizations hold various activities and in different forms but with one goal – saving planet Earth.
Here in Palau, Ngedikes Olai Polloi of the Office of the Environmental Response Center explained that since April 22 falls on Sunday the organizers have decided to hold the celebration as early as Friday April 20.
OERC and the Environmental Quality Protection Board (EQPB) are only two of the leading government agencies involved in the annual commemoration of Earth Day.
Like in the past years, the activities were held at the parking lot of the Palau Community College and Midtown Mobil Gas station.
Regular activities for the annual celebration include collection of used batteries and trash bags full of aluminum cans in exchange of t-shirts printed with environmental campaign themes, the annual environmental excellence awards, environmental question and answer games and other activities.
Cars with 2004 "Watch Your Waste" stickers were given prizes donated by Ace Hardware.
Students from the Melekeok Elementary School (16 5th-8th graders and teacher Kerungil Tellei) were awarded with the Environmental Excellence for Group. These students pick-up trash along the roads as well as clean the surroundings during weekends in their State.
Senator Caleb Otto won this year’s individual award and Koror State for government category.
Individuals also won prizes in several contests. Asan Mad of PPR won a lawn mower worth $149.99 from ACE Hardware, Elzider Eledui also won a Tier Planter Stand worth $79.99.
Government and non-government agencies, as well as private companies, set-up booths that showcased their works and functions related to help protect the environment as well as promote a healthy lifestyle.
As Palau International Coral Reef Center (PICRC) summed it up "Earth Day is a time for people to focus on saving the environment and take part in activities that promote the health of Earth its oceans, air and land."
The other agencies with booths were Health Resource Center, PCC Cooperative Research Extension I, Belau Voices of Nature, Bureau of Agriculture, Outlying State Water Shed, Koror-Airai Water Plant, Koror State Youth Council, Palau Conservation Society, Bureau of Marine Resources, Ministry of Resources and Development, Koror State Government Solid Waste Management office and Division of Environmental Health.
Other companies that joined were ACE Hardware, Palau Pacific Resort and Palau Royal Resort.
In other parts of the world, Earth Day is a time to celebrate gains made and create new visions to accelerate environmental progress. It is also a special day to learn about planet Earth and how to take care of it. It leads international efforts to protect endangered species and their habitats and address global problems that ruin the air, sea and land.