After a decadelong pursuit to bring public environmental concern to the forefront of political arenas, Democratic U.S. Sen. Gaylord Nelson of Wisconsin proposed the first Earth Day celebration in 1970.

In a piece posted on the Environmental Protection Agency's Web site, Nelson wrote, "My primary objective in planning Earth Day was to show the political leadership of the Nation that there was broad and deep support for the environmental movement. While I was confident that a nationwide peaceful demonstration of concern would be impressive, I was not quite prepared for the overwhelming response that occurred on that day."

On April 22, 1970, Nelson witnessed millions of Americans come together for this significant grassroots effort on behalf of planet Earth.

What does Earth Day mean for urban gardens and gardeners? Urban gardens entice communities to connect with the environment. They also magnify our responsibility to protect our natural resources and minimize outputs.

The Urban Garden Center in Pearl City is currently renovating an existing herb garden using organic gardening practices. Organic gardening is a sustainable practice that works with natural systems in our environment to replenish resources the garden consumes and minimize risks to people, water supply, soil microbes and even insects.

Organic gardeners concentrate on soil health to promote beneficial microbes by amending the soil with compost and animal manures or other organic fertilizers. They work with insects in our gardens to create a balanced system of beneficial and plant-feeding insects. They also choose plants according to the conditions of the site, following the "right plant, right place" rule of thumb.

To learn more about these practices, visit the Urban Garden Center in Pearl City for our Second Saturday at the Garden programs, which feature a different local gardening topic on the second Saturday of every month.

To ask a Hawai'i Master Gardener about local gardening conditions or home garden questions, visit the University of Hawai'i College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources Web site for updated phone numbers to island-specific Master Gardener help lines: www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/ctahr2001/UrbanGardenCenter.

Kaua'i's Master Gardener Training program is starting a new class in July. Call 808-274-3475 on the island of Kaua'i for an application or for more information.

Finally, Earth Day is a day to celebrate our commitment to live locally, and think globally in our gardens.

To celebrate Earth Day, Hawaiian Electric Co. presents the Grow Hawaiian Festival at Bishop Museum on April 25 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. This family-oriented eco-festival focuses on conservation, sustainability, Hawai'i's cultural heritage and Hawai'i's endemic and Polynesian-introduced plants. Certified O'ahu Master Gardeners will be on hand to answer home garden questions. Admission is free for kama'aina and military.