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EarthX - 50 Year Anniversary of Earth Day

In the 1960s, Americans began to become concerned about the environment, especially after Rachel Carson’s book Silent Spring was published in 1962.  The idea of Earth Day was conceived by Senator Gaylord Nelson, Democrat of Wisconsin, who enlisted Representative Pete McCloskey, Republican from California, to serve as co-chair.  They chose April 22, 1970, between Spring Break and Final Exams, to allow as many colleges and students to participate.  The event was a great success, but it did not repeat yearly.  It returned in 1990, and eventually became a yearly event.  Now, 50 years later, Americans, and even more so the world, are as concerned about the environment as ever before.

In Dallas, developer Trammell Crow founded Earth Day Texas in 2011 as a local environmental exposition tied with Earth Day.  The event’s name was changed to EarthX in 2018, and DPS exhibited at the expo in 2017 and 2018.  This year we will exhibit again, and we need some help.  Contact Tom Dill, DPS Programs Chair, at programs@dallaspaleo.org to sign up for a 4 hour session at our table.  The event will be held Friday, April 24, through Sunday, April 26, from 10am to 6pm, in Fair Park in Dallas.  The event is free if you pre-register (although parking is not, so carpooling or DART are great green and cheap options).  Even if you can’t help out at our table, we hope you can attend.

Why should DPS exhibit at EarthX, at a reduce, reuse, recycle king of event?  Because earth science is a fundamental part of Earth Day.  Paleontology is the history of life on earth, and therefore the history of the environment.  As fossil enthusiasts, we collect evidence that the environment has changed over time on earth, and life has evolved, resulting in great changes in the world.  We can see that the earth has not always been this way, and is always changing.  We also know that the certain organisms have caused great changes on earth.  Such as photosynthetic bacteria (thanks for the O2, guys!), land plants, angiosperms (at about the time of our local Woodbine Formation), then grasses.  Think of trilobites, termites, then ants.  Mounds of carbonate were first deposited by cyanobacteria, then reefs built by sponges and corals, then those weird rudists that mystify us, then back to a different group of corals.  They all changed earth.  Now it is clear that we are changing the earth, too.  But perhaps too much and too rapidly for our own good.  Those coral reefs are declining rapidly due to warming and acidification of the water (the acid is from much of our CO2 emissions dissolving in the oceans).

This will be a great event to meet lots of people who love the earth, are worried about the environment, are curious about their world, and enjoy being outside.  We have a lot in common with the over 160,000 people and 700 exhibitors that will attend this event.  No one likes to see litter, least of all us fossil collectors who wade the creeks and walk the road sides.  They like clean air and water, public land to roam, and science education, and above all appreciate the earth.  We will show those folks a bit of the ancient history of earth so they can appreciate that, too.

We are very happy to announce that the very first Occasional Papers Volume 1, written by 9 members of the founding group of the DPS is now available to download!  It is under the HOME choice on the menu bar, then Members-Only Content and then Documents and Resources.

To see the flier for Discover Earth Science, click here to download their PDF document.

The Paleontograph back issues are now available at the following link

https://www.aaps-journal.org/the-paleontograph.html

The DPS offers extra benefits for Members. Types of Memberships and costs of each can be found under MEMBERSHIP choice in the menu bar, then New Member Online Application. Below is a list of what Members receive and the reasons you should plan to join (or re-join) us in our paleo adventures!

                                        MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS

Newsletter: The Fossil Record, the Society’s monthly newsletter, is sent to all members.

Special Events: Members receive Eblasts on surprise events and reminders of upcoming events.

DPS Website: Current members have access to the Members section of the DPS website, which includes the Membership Directory, past newsletters, and more.

Field Trips: Some field trips have limited access (quarries, Oklahoma trilobites, etc.), and some field trips are designated members-only.

Excavations: Participation in Fossil Bureau of Investigation (FBI) excavations.

Discounts: Fossil prep kits, display items, books, and other unique items are occasionally offered at a discount to members.

Occasional Papers: Each Occasional Papers is a collection of in-depth articles on paleontology written by members. One copy per membership is free to members immediately following publication. Past Occasional Papers are available for purchase.

Volunteerism: Volunteer opportunities to work the DPS booths provides community outreach, interaction with the public, and occasionally free entry to an event.

Family: Family Membership provides a discount to a second adult and allows for PIT Crew membership in which children can participate in special PIT Crew-only workshops, classroom activities, and field trips.

Dues pay for: food and drinks at the monthly meetings, refreshments on field trips, scholarships, and professional speakers for special meetings.

The results of the election of officers for 2020 are:  

Vice President: Estee Easley

Fossil Record Editor: Diane Tran

Treasurer:  Paul Lowers

Secretary:  Kim Pervis                        

Come and join us for a great time at our next meeting, and click below to become a member.  Individual and Family memberships are available, and kids can participate in the PIT Crew (Paleontogists In Training).

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