The 50th anniversary of Earth Day is April 22. It is a time to think about how important our environment is to us and our future generations. It is also a time to reflect on our individual impact on our natural surroundings.

During these trying days of isolation, many are finding the outdoors to be very therapeutic. The open spaces, water, trees, birds and flowers bring peace, help quiet our minds, and distract us from this surreal life we are living.

I am writing this hoping the cigarette smokers, dog owners, and Bud Light, Fire Ball and coffee drinkers will take heed and dispose of their garbage appropriately. The earth is not an ashtray. The bags of dog feces are not ornaments for the bushes and walkways. Cans, bottles and nips go in the recycle bins, not the roadsides. Styrofoam goes in the garbage. It is not rocket science.

Try to think about others, try to think about your future generations, try to care for the Earth.

We live in a beautiful state. Please don’t ruin it for others. We need to honor our environment and all it gives to us — not just now, but always.

Patricia Chalmers
Bristol