Youth take leading role in Earth Day 2022

FAIRFIELD — Jefferson County residents interested in environmentally-themed volunteering are in luck, because they will have several opportunities to get their hands dirty this weekend.

An assortment of local organizations is planning a full day of activities Saturday to celebrate Earth Day, called “Earth Day for Everyone.” Residents will have a chance to volunteer at various locations around Fairfield from 9-11 a.m., before heading over to the Jefferson County Fairgrounds from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. for speakers, booths, food vendors, music and more. Admission is free.

The volunteer opportunities include:

1) Litter cleanup and debris inventory run by Rotary Club InterAct volunteers.

2) Tree maintenance and mulching led by Maharishi International University’s Tom Brooks.

3) Community Orchard pruning and maintenance organized by arborist Austin Troutt.

In addition, Troy Van Beek of Ideal Energy will conduct a solar installation tour.

To participate in any of these activities, sign up at SEIowaSierraClub@gmail.com.

Tess Paton is a Fairfield High School student who is co-president of the group Students for Change, along with co-president Geetika Adhikari. The group was founded a few years ago by FHS students Megan Higgins and Devika Pharasi, but the group fell dormant during COVID, until Paton and Adhikari revived it. The group plans to participate in Saturday’s Earth Day events.

Paton said she’s volunteered with the Southeast Iowa Sierra Club several times before, and feels passionately about the environment.

“The environment is very important to me, and to be able to celebrate Earth Day while helping our community is very excited, and I’m excited to meet other people who are interested in supporting Fairfield,” Paton said.

Paton said she’s looking forward to helping place mulch around the 600 trees planted on the campus of MIU in recent years.

“I helped with the trees last year, so it will be exciting to return to that,” she said.

Southeast Iowa Sierra Club President Anne Walton said she’s glad to see students become active in promoting Earth Day.

“It’s not just that we’re involving them, but they’re involving us. They’re the primary organizers behind some of these events,” Walton said. “The cleanup event is being organized by students from Fairfield High School and Maharishi School. They’re taking the lead, and tell us what they need.”

The first Earth Day was celebrated on April 22, 1970. Walton said it’s time for the next generation to take the reins of the environmental movement. Walton she’s heartened to see Paton and the other members of Students for Change become so active at a young age.

“The cool thing about Students for Change is that they’re doing Earth Day activities year-round,” Walton said. “Tess organizes her own cleanups at different times of the year.”

Walton said this year’s Earth Day celebration is especially large because there are so many new programs to feature, from the new Fairfield Garden Initiative, the Sierra Club’s resiliency plan and Fairfield being selected for a Resilient Communities pilot project.

Call Andy Hallman at 641-575-0135 or email him at andy.hallman@southeastiowaunion.com