Saving the Planet One Tree at a Time

Courtesy Photo | Poster for Earth Day  

UNITED STATES

04.11.2024

Story by Emiley Murphy 

Norfolk Naval Shipyard

Memory is funny; we often hang our memorable moments on unique events when we are young. In second grade, an Earth Day event at my school became one of those memorable moments. I remember how excited I was when they handed me a tiny tree of my very own. That afternoon, I walked home very slowly, cradling the sapling. That little tree was all I could think of or talk about, and I remember helping my parents carefully plant it in our yard. It was a simple but important act for a small girl. After all, you never know how those quiet moments may have a lasting impact.

Started in 1970, Earth Day culminated in years of activism by like-minded individuals who saw a strong need for awareness and visibility of pressing concerns to protect our health and environment. On April 22, 1970, 20 million people across the United States participated in Earth Day, and today, it is the largest community-led event in the world. Annually, Earth Day draws billions of people in 192 countries to participate, and locally Norfolk Naval Shipyard (NNSY) is helping to highlight the importance of this observance.

Over time, what began as a small observance marked by the handing out of trees has become a more extensive, all-day event. Traditionally stood up by Code 106.31 Environmental Engineer Jagruti "Jag" Patel, has been the woman leading the effort since 2019.

"What they did [when this first began] was get trees, and they would hand them out to shipyard employees," Patel said. "They set up a table, wrapped the trees, and then handed them out to people, and everyone was super excited to get them. After that, [the event] grew just a little bit more, and then a few years later, they started having outside vendors, which made it into a bigger affair. The vendors were environmental representatives, organizations from outside focused on environmental conservation, that were Earth Day focused."

During the pandemic, Earth Day looked more like its early days due to the COVID protocol requiring social distancing. Trees were still distributed, but the larger gathering was put on hold for a few years.

"When we were giving the trees out during COVID, all of them were gone," Patel continued. "We put out buckets with trees in them at all the main gates as well as during the first, second, and third shifts, and usually, we would have empty buckets." Once again, trees will be handed out in person during the Earth Day event, which will be held April 25 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. outside Building 1500.

“I've been part of the Earth Day team since 2021," said Corey Castelow, Code 106.33 Environmental Branch Head. "I joined the shipyard in 2020, so my first involvement was with prepping and distributing tree saplings to the shipyard employees since we were unable to hold the event itself during the pandemic years. I was eager to volunteer due to the comradery and intention of the event. Code 106 really comes together as a team to prepare for and execute this event, with Jag at the helm."

This year, NNSY will host multiple environmental presenters with expertise in environmental education, animal husbandry, sanitation, and more. Observing Earth Day onboard the installation builds a sense of purpose and contributes to a greener future.

"The work we do here at the shipyard has a direct impact on our environment and our community, as do decisions we make in our everyday lives," said Castelow. "NNSY celebrating Earth Day not only shows NNSY's dedication to environmental stewardship but also provides an opportunity for our employees to learn about the environment and to engage with each other and members of our community."

• Date Taken: 04.11.2024
• Date Posted: 04.29.2024 12:58
• Story ID: 469770
• Location: US