By Bryan Vomacka
Earth Day Omaha 2019 was the 30th year of the local event that educates people on the best ways to keep our planet healthy.
Larry Bradley, a geology and geography professor at UNO, said paying attention to science is most important when considering how to improve our environment.
“That’s Earth Day, we celebrate once a year and it takes on a whole new meaning. We just get together and advocate for good environmental issues,” said Bradley.
Earth Day 2019 featured over 100 exhibitors and vendors promoting resource conversation and environmental friendliness.
One of the organizations at the event was Hillside Solutions.
“Think of us essentially as we’re a waste hauler, but we just found a way to be eco-friendly. So rather than picking up your trash and taking it to a landfill, we help organizations figure out everything else they can do with their trash other than put it in land fills,” said Brent Crampton of Hillside Solutions.
Hillside Solutions takes yard waste from Bellevue, manure from the zoo and food waste from 19 schools in the Omaha area and turns it into soil that can be used by farmers and gardeners throughout Omaha.
Crampton said that composting is significantly better for the environment than using landfills.
All of the people at Earth Day Omaha 2019 were passionate about the environment for many different reasons.
“I really do care about what goes on with the Earth and how people treat it,” said Martin Macias, a volunteer at the event. “I’m not going to be here forever, but kids and other generations, my children maybe, will eventually have to inherit the earth and it would suck to leave them in a dump.”
