Meeting and Program

The History of Earth Day – How a Burning River and a Garbage Barge helped clean up Medina County

The Medina County Historical Society will offer a special presentation by local garbologists commemorating the history of Earth Day on Saturday April 13th from 1:00pm to 2:00pm at the Medina County District Library, 210 S. Broadway St., Medina, Community Room A & B.

Details will be shared about how a homeless garbage barge once brought national attention to recycling, and how a burning river made Northeast Ohio a national embarrassment.  Stories will be told about how both of these events, and other examples of ground and water pollution caused widespread protests resulting in the first Earth Day on April 22, 1970.  

The program will discuss how we once ‘took out the trash,’ and a presentation by the Medina County Solid Waste District about the new Recycling Facility available now for County residents.   

The program will conclude with a Q&A and a group discussion from those that still remember trips to our local ‘dumps.’

Admission is free and open to the public.  We hope to see you there!