Can I tell you something that you probably already know?  Tomorrow, Sunday, April 22, 2012 is Earth Day.  (Chorus) “So Soon?  Ya gotta be kiddin’ me!  I told you…hahaha!  Do I have to buy a gift?”  Those comments are undoubtedly very typical in today’s conversations…at work, at play or at home.  Don’t get me wrong, Earth Day gets plenty of attention and I am actually seeing and hearing more about it today than in previous years.  Is it the speculation about “global warming”?  Perhaps, but I seriously believe that because it has been in the forefront of so many minds in so many countries for so long that it has strong legs off its own and that we should probably look at Earth Day as the force behind the sustainability programs that have been established to effectively deal with environmental issues at all levels…local, regional, national and global.  Earth Day, with all of its events and activities that take place, from educational to recreational to salvational (is that a word?) is one thing that as a world we can all embrace and not surprisingly, we have.

From time to time I take time on this site to acknowledge somebody or something that I think has made a significant contribution to my world, the world at large or the world of a small group of people and this Earth Day I am reminded of the efforts of a group of people that I used to work with.  These individuals worked under the stewardship of Marilyn Barnett, in one of the divisions of MARS Advertising, Unique Concepts International.  One of the most successful programs that they created was an Earth Day program that they executed over time for a growing list of supermarket retailers in the eastern part of the country.  I don’t remember all of the stores but I believe one of them was a store named Waldbaum’s.  I also think that most of the stores were part of the A&P Corp.  Anyway, with a revolving cast of very passionate team members, several people stood out as individuals that really cared about the program and not just for commercial reasons.  Earth Day was a cause that if you were to look at what they tried to do and did accomplish, was a big deal to them.  The program very smartly was targeted at the youth of that time (the early 90’s).  It penetrated classrooms and households.  This was not a one-day and it’s over effort.  The program lasted at least one month.  There were recycling programs, tree plantings, pageants and scholastic programs with essay and art competitions.   These programs were so well designed that they drew the support of national, regional and local brand manufacturers.  Many of then and now’s largest manufacturers supported the programs and not for just one year.  With the help and financial assistance of the many socially conscious manufacturers, the retailers and MARS Advertising/Unique Concepts International, the Earth Day message and awareness of its importance reached a lot of children, their households and the community at large.

Though there are way too many to name, I would still like to call out a few people that worked on several (not all at the same time) Earth Day programs.  These ladies (and their many associates) efforts were way ahead of curve.  I bow to them!

Marilyn Barnett

Pres./CEO MARS Advertising/Unique Concepts International (U.C.I.)

 

Michelle Roney

Vice President/U.C.I.

 

Susan Sanderson

Creative Director/U.C.I.

 

Lynn Berry

Creative Director/U.C.I.

 

Lisa Ballo

Account Director/U.C.I.

 

Shana Krisan

Account Director/U.C.I.

 

Jacquelyn Rubasky

Account Director/U.C.I.

 

Geralyn George

Account Director/U.C.I.

 

Celebrate Earth Day!  It’s one of the few events that you would be part of a worldwide celebration.  Teach your children something or do something together and learn from them.  Then try to make celebrating and appreciating the earth an every day thing!

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