Thoughts for the Day, April 22, 2026: Earth Day.

Earth Day:

Today is Earth Day.

I would never consider myself an environmentalist, but I have always believed humankind has a responsibility to take care of our planet. I am appalled at littering and the damage it has done. Air pollution creates serious breathing problems for me, and I am a lifelong asthmatic. The abuse of our planet has had a lasting impact on my health.

I grew up in River Rouge in the 50s and 60s when Rouge was one of the most polluted areas in the country. Snow turned orange after three days. Cars had to be washed weekly, or they would become metallic long before metallic was a thing. The Rouge River had an oil film over the top of it. The Detroit River wasn’t much better, and scientists were predicting that Lake Erie would become a lifeless lake if changes were not made.

Image of the Rouge River on fire in 1969 just months after the Cuyahoga River in Cleveland caught on fire.

Sixty years later things have improved tremendously in River Rouge and southeast Michigan because of a concerted effort by public and private entities.

The one thing I was skeptical about was climate change, especially as it relates to carbon dioxide. I never understood how something that we as humans exhale could be so dangerous.

It took lots of reading and a change in my paradigm to accept that climate change is a real thing. I have become convinced in the last 15 months when I have lived through three 100-year storms and one 50-year storm. (8 inches of snow on the Gulf of Mexico, the ice-storm in Northern Michigan, the 36 inches of snow in 36 hours and finally, the recent flooding throughout Northen Michigan) Not included, are the fires in Canada which created some serious breathing issues for me the last two summers.

On this Earth Day, we all should take stock in how we are taking care of our planet. It should be part of your everyday life. It should be a consideration when choosing candidates for public office.

The meaning of Earth Day should be something we practice daily. We should encourage others. We don’t have to be extremists, but we can do the simple things that matter. Here are some simple things to do.

· Don’t litter

· Recycle

· Dispose of batteries and household chemicals and appliances properly

· Use battery operated outdoor appliances when possible

· Minimize the use of pesticides and weed killer that cause damage to the environment.

· When going to public areas, leave the area cleaner than when you arrived.

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Not Earth Day: Mining approved for Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness

From the blog Public Domain, by Roque Planas: The U.S. Senate voted 50-49 on Thursday April 16 to roll back a mining ban on land adjacent to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness located on Federal land in Minnesota, a move that will primarily benefit a foreign mining corporation.

It is an unprecedented use of the Congressional Review Act — a little-known law that allows Congress to rescind regulatory rules — and slashes protections for an iconic Midwestern wilderness area prized for its canoeing, camping and fishing. Twin Metals Minnesota, a subsidiary of Chilean mining conglomerate Antofagasta Plc, has for years angled to establish a copper-nickel mine on national forest land near the wilderness area. Among other things, the company has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars to hire influential Trump-aligned lobbyists in D.C. to push its agenda.

In a speech on the Senate floor ahead of the vote, Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) warned that the GOP move “would have far-reaching consequences not just for the beautiful Boundary Waters Canoe Area in Minnesota, but public lands across our country.” An emotional Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) called it “a dark day” for the Senate and a “boondoggle.”

The House of Representatives passed the measure back in January. It now heads to the White House for Trump’s signature.

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April in the D

April is always an exciting sports time in the Detroit area. This year is no exception. With the Michigan’s men’s basketball team winning the national championship, the Tigers in the hunt for the Central Division crown, the Pistons in the playoffs, and the Lions preparing for the NFL draft, someone like me must prioritize my sports watching.

Baseball and basketball have always been my two favorite sports, so on a night like tonight when the Pistons and Tigers are playing at the same time, I am in sports heaven.

As a result, this is a shorter than normal blog, because I need to get to the task at hand, which is grabbing the remote and working it to the max.

Hopefully, the Pistons can make a nice long playoff run, and the Tigers can stay in the hunt for the Central Division crown. See my Quote of the Day

Is it too much to ask for a repeat of 1989 when Michigan won the national championship and the Pistons won the NBA championship?

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Contact your Congressperson

Contact your congressman by following these easy steps This can be done in a few easy steps.

Step 1: find your congressman by clicking on this link, Find Your Representative | house.gov

Step 2: Put your zip code in the proper space.

Step 3: Click the button “find your representative””

Step 4: In the new page that comes up you will see a picture of your congressman. Click on your congressman’s name under the picture.

Step 5: In the new page that comes up, Click on Contact Me at the top of the page and then click on Email me.

Step 6: Fill out the information as required.

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Quote of the Day: “We’ve got to get our get back. We got to take care of home and protect our home, we have to get this one before we head into their home next. There is no pressure because we have prepared for this. We know our opponent. We have to go out there and do our job. Be the team we are capable of being and handle business.” Detroit Piston backup center Isaiah Stewart.

Orchid of the Day: Earth Day

Onion of the Day: Me, my proof-reading skills were on vacation on Monday

Question of the Day: Can the Pistons rebound tonight against the Orlando Magic and even up their best of seven series 1-1?

Lyrics of the Day: But music was his life, it was not his livelihood,
and it made him feel so happy and it made him feel so good.
And he sang from his heart and he sang from his soul.
He did not know how well he sang; It just made him whole.

Lyrics of the Day for April 20, 2026. Steet Fighting Man by the Rolling Stones

Video of the Day: Cats in the Cradle by Harry Chapin

I write reflective, opinionated essays on leadership, politics, sports, and life—grounded in experience rather than ideology. If this perspective resonates with you, you can subscribe here for free.