By Staff
urges others:
Remember
Earth Day'
To the Editor:
This is earth day month! Rachael Carson started the movement around 32 years ago! Much has been learned about the abuse of our natural environment during that time, and the crisis is probably at its peak now: What with ANWR in jeopardy of the big oil interests, our fish and seafood contaminated with mercury, and the extinction rate of our flora and fauna at an all time high… just to name a few of the hot spots of this crisis. So what can we do as individuals in South Alabama to alleviate this "unnatural turn of events?"
For brevity sake, here are a few simplistic suggestions: we can recycle: (Brewton, Daphne, Fairhope, Gulf Shores, just to name a few, have city wide programs . Why not Atmore? We do have newspaper and aluminum facilities available if we will only use them).
We can recycle our leaves and pine straw by using them for mulch and organic gardening. Bill Finch, environmental editor of the Mobile Register, said that about 50% of the landfill trash comes from our leaves, straw, grass clipping etc. Why not use the decay of nature to enhance our soil? Then we can maximize our gasoline and oil consumption by buying energy efficient automobiles and trucks (it is said that if the SUV vehicles were up graded to at least 20 miles per gallon efficiency, we could save an unbelievable amount of oil; much, much more than we can ever uncover in ANWR!)
If we will only slow down and look around at nature and all of its beauty this time of year, I believe we will want to preserve and conserve life that was here long before we humans ever evolved, and realize that all life, especially animal life, is basically of the same DNA. All nature is related and the demise of one species affects all others.
We hunt and kill animal life and plant life in the name of manhood (and sisterhood), but conservation and reverence for all life is much more "macho" and sensual than harvesting and poisoning our wildlife. (Where is the sport in killing an unarmed animal with a high powered rifle over a feeding plot, or poisoning our wild flowers and berries with a pesticide or herbicide)
Nature has a purpose; and it is not our enemy: we are the enemy!
Robert W. Mays
Atmore
To the Editor:
The volunteers at Atmore Nursing Care Center beauty shop should be praised and commended for the outstanding, rewarding job they do. On tuesdays, there are many ladies there working. Some are shampooing, some rolling, some combing out and styling. Others are bringing ladies in or taking them back to their rooms.
There is nothing more satisfying and uplifting to women than getting their hair done.
We appreciate them making our loved ones stay in Atmore Nursing Care Center more pleasant.
Dorothy Drew
Atmore