Earth Day '21: environmental issues past and present still present challenges

Fifty-one years after the founding of Earth Day, with the first on April 22, 1970, the manmade pollution and resulting problems created by global warming and climate change remain the biggest threat to the planet, environmental scientists say.

“Certainly, the biggest concern is climate change, because it has so many possibilities of impacting our environment,” said Caryl Fish, environmental sciences professor at Saint Vincent College near Latrobe.

Fish sees the correlation between the climate change caused by human activities that increase carbon monoxide and methane and the trends toward more severe global weather.

“We are the culprits for burning combustible materials,” which has released more carbon monoxide into the atmosphere on an annual basis for more than 30 years, said John Stolz, director of Duquesne University’s Center for Environmental Research and Education.

“You don’t want a global pandemic to make you do something” about pollution, said Stolz, a professor of environmental microbiology.

Oceans are being polluted with massive “floating islands of plastics” that have been swept into the waters and have been pushed together by ocean currents, Stolz said.

“You can see all the (plastic) garbage eventually winding up in the ocean,” Stolz said.

In Westmoreland County, one of the biggest threats to the environment is the water quality, said Greg Phillips, executive director of the Westmoreland Conservation District.

“Sediment by volume is the No. 1 pollution problem,” Phillips said. “You don’t want a bunch of sediment in streams.”

As development takes over more forest and farmland in the county, there is more impervious land, increasing the amount of stormwater runoff flowing into streams. That has impacted watersheds such at Turtle Creek, Brush Creek, Jacks Run, Sewickley Creek and Jacobs Creek, he said.

“Our challenge is that the municipalities have to work together” on their municipal separate storm sewer system program, commonly referred to as MS4, to reduce stormwater problems. But, “the storms have been more intense, causing more runoff with more damage,” Philips said.

An emerging environmental challenge is the spread of invasive species — plants, Phillips said.

Along the Loyalhanna Watershed Association property in eastern and central parts of the county, the biggest challenge remains a century-old problem — the drainage from once-active mines along the watershed, said Susan Huba, executive director of the association.

“We are making efforts to restore the water quality from past issues — coal mining and abandoned mines. Abandoned mine drainage is the big pollutant. We still have a lot of work to do,” Huba said.

The emerging threat to water quality is stormwater management and extreme weather events, Huba said. That adds to the sedimentation problems along the 2,500 miles of streams. The watershed covers 298 square miles, from the western slopes of Laurel Ridge south of Ligonier Township, to the Conemaugh River at Saltsburg, where the creek and river form the Kiski River, which flows into the Allegheny River.

“There’s still lots of challenges,” she added.

Earth Day activities

• Friendly competition among volunteer teams of up to 10 co-workers, cleaning litter in Allegheny County from April 21 to June 22, sponsored by Allegheny CleanWays. Winning teams will receive prizes from some of the region’s environmentally conscious businesses. Members of the Allegheny CleanWays & Friends of the Riverfront crew will introduce creative and enjoyable challenges weekly to promote responsible stewardship and strategies to do “more good.” Register for a morning and evening session of cleaning up litter along the Allegheny River on Thursday using the organization’s boat, Rachel Carson. Both sessions will leave from Steel City Rowing dock at 101 Arch St., Verona. Sessions are 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 5 to 8 p.m. Boat will take volunteers to sites not easily accessible from land.
• Aspinwall litter clean-up planned April 23-25. The “Green Streets” initiative is conducted by Aspinwall Neighbors. Supply kits are available at the borough building. Details available at aspinwallneighbors.org.
• Carnegie Science Center in Pittsburgh plans special Earth Week events and programming through Sunday. There will be pop-up experiences on select days, virtual experiences on Facebook and sensory sensitive hours. Among topics are healthy eating, planting and composting, clouds, water purification, biodiversity and ocean plastic. For details, visit carnegiesciencecenter.org/programs/earth-week/
• Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy is offering guided hikes and other activities. Earth Day events include free yoga in Schenley Plaza, free PNC Carousel rides, children’s activities such as kite-making and a bird scavenger hunt. In-person and digital events also will be featured.
• Earth Day Lakeshore Cleanup, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday, Loyalhanna Lake, Meet at Bush Recreation Area Pavilion, 200 Boat Dock Road, New Alexandria. For details, call 724-639-9013.
• Earth Day Pollinator Nature Walk, Jacobs Creek Watershed Association and Scottdale Public Library, 6-7 p.m., Coal and Coke Trail Scottdale Entrance, Mildred Street, Scottdale. Event is sold out.
• Virtual Earth Day Program — “Permanent, Perpetual Plastic,” by the Loyalhanna Watershed Association. Webinar led by Pennsylvania Master Naturalist and Penn State Extension Master Gardener Diane Harshberger and Penn State Master Gardener trainee Patti Flowers Jacobina. Free program on Zoom at 6:30 p.m. Pre-registration required at shorturl.at/lzACY. Contact JoAnn Thistlethwaite at joann@thistlethwaite.net for additional information.