Colorful focus on Recycling

On the 42nd anniversary of Earth Day, our Sunday School turned its focus to recycling on April 22 with the artistic guidance of Carol Hubbard and Gary Beckwith.

Carol came up with the idea to use this week’s Sunday School lesson as a means of  celebrating this country’s environmental movement. The result was uniquely painted recycling bins that will be distributed throughout the church.

Gary Beckwith checks the art work on some of the Earth Day recycling creations.

More than a dozen children and adults spent almost an hour using the vibrant colors of  acrylic paint to transform white, gray and blue trash containers into works of art.

Gary, a former arts teacher in the Cape Elizabeth school system, provided a quick lesson on how to use and mix the paints while Carol added a Biblical lesson on how and why we need to better protect God’s earth. From there it was hands-on painting  with an emphasis on uniqueness.

Carol Hubbard adds some of her own artistic inspiration to one of the church's recyling bins.

One of the most unique creations came from Shirley Maxwell, who transformed the lid to one of the containers into a wide-mouthed, big teeth “recycling monster” just waiting to gobble up reams of past church bulletins and drafts of old sermons.

Shirley Maxwell puts some finishing touches on her "recycling monster."

Earth Day began in 1970, the creation of  Gaylord Nelson, a U.S. senator from Wisconsin. According to the Earth Day Network web site, Sen. Nelson announced the idea of a national teach-in on the environment to the national media. The result, on April 22, 1970, was 20 million Americans taking to streets, parks and auditoriums to demonstrate for a healthy, sustainable environment in massive rallies across the country.

Sen. Nelson took on the cause after witnessing the 1969 oil spill in Santa Barbara, California.

The first Earth Day led to the creation of the United State Environmental Protection Agency and the passage of the Clean Air, Clean Water, and Endangered Species Acts.

 Click here for more images of Earth Day 2012 at our church: