EARTH DAY’S HISTORY
In the 1960s, Americans filled their cars with leaded gasoline and inhaled pollution from inefficient engines and factories. It wasn’t until 1962, when Rachel Carson wrote “a detailed portrayal of the impacts of pollution on all organisms, that people realized the impact of heavy industrialization. This book was the first mention of DDT and the threat it caused to Bald Eagle populations.
After an oil spill in Santa Barbara, California, Senator Gaylord Nelson used anti-war sentiment on college campuses to rally against environmental pollution. He enlisted a student activist, Denis Hayes, to recruit university students to act.
They selected April 22 as a day that would attract the most student involvement since it fell between spring break and final exams. Earth Day was born in 1970 and has been celebrated ever since.
The first Earth Day was so successful that by the end of 1970, the Environmental Protection Agency had been created, and multiple pieces of legislation had been introduced to protect and conserve various areas of the environment. One piece of legislation, the Water Prevention and Control Act, was passed in 1974, a comprehensive plan to control pollution and maintain water quality.
DEFINING WATER CONSERVATION
The term water conservation in architecture and design encompasses strategies and solutions to manage water consumption and collection within buildings and natural landscapes.
Water conservation is an increasingly popular design element in the initial stages of designing new buildings and structures. An article by Modlar details some of the most effective water conservation techniques, including rainwater collection and leak-proofing methods.
MS CONSULTANTS’ CONTRIBUTION
ms consultants improves sustainability and water quality within our community projects. Here are just a few examples of how the ms team celebrates Earth Day all year round!
- Gay Street Rain Garden/Improvements
- Rain gardens provide a sustainable solution to collecting rainwater. These gardens filter pollutants in rainwater and improve water quality before it reaches rivers, streams, lakes, and other water sources. They also create a natural habitat for insects, birds, and native wildlife.
- ALDI Urban Streetscape Location
- The Green Globes certification means the building meets sustainable goals in energy, water, materials, resources, and emissions. ALDI chose to pursue this certification since they face unique challenges combining sustainability with heavy refrigeration loads in stores.
- Upper Tuscarawas Wastewater Treatment Plant
- This project improves the local environment by removing rates for ammonia and phosphorus, less land disturbance, and beneficial water conservation.
- Dellrose Street Green Infrastructure
- A street stormwater management project effectively concentrated runoff into channels for conservation and storage.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
Want to learn more about how to incorporate water conservation into your next project? Check out the ms water services on our website!