Candidates and Republican Committee of Chester County members participated in various Earth Day activities throughout the area on Saturday, April 22.
“Each one of us has a responsibility to do our part to keep Chester County pristine and beautiful for the next generation,” said David Sommers, Republican candidate for Chester County commissioner.
Members cleaned roadways, parks, and waterways, removing truckloads of litter and garbage. The Republican Party has a history of supporting the environment dating back to President Theodore Roosevelt, said Sommers.
He quoted Roosevelt: “Here is your country. Cherish these natural wonders, cherish the natural resources, cherish the history and romance as a sacred heritage, for your children and your children’s children. Do not let selfish men or greedy interests skin your country of its beauty, its riches or its romance.”
Michael Taylor, the GOP candidate for prothonotary said, “We are all stewards of bucolic Chester County and on Earth Day I was pleased to be able to lend a hand in cleaning up the Brandywine Creek. It is amazing what can be found polluting our waterways. I pulled from a small island a child’s scooter. I also cleaned up a bunch of strewn beer cans and bottles that were literally there for over 40 years. The cans had pull tabs, which haven’t been used in decades, and the bottles were ornamental which reminded me of sitting with my grandfather when I was young. It is important for everyone to do their part and keep our waterways clean.”
The first Earth Day in April of 1970 was celebrated by some 30,000 people on Belmont Plateau in Philadelphia’s Fairmount Park. It featured a reading by poet Allen Ginsberg, a speech by activist Ralph Nader, and music by the cast of the Broadway musical “Hair.”
