A Day for Reflection
Earth Day was created after a massive oil spill in 1969 that devastated the coast of Santa Barbara. California. This oil spill caught the attention of the nation and sprung people into action. Immediately after, the first Earth Day was celebrated in 1970.
As the month of April comes to a close, we reflect on Earth Month and the impact we have on our planet.
ms in Action
While not a federally-recognized holiday, people celebrate Earth Day through education, awareness, and action toward the environmental movement. As an engineering and architecture firm, we have the privilege to focus on the most exciting of the three – action. We frequently work with sustainable design work and are proud to be acting through thought leadership to carry out the client’s mission.
Client Missions
The hardest part about placing pen to paper for this blog was deciding who of our great clients throughout our offices to highlight. Here are just a few:
Focus – Green-Space Preservation
The Eastgate Council of Governments is leading the Mahoning Valley’s effort to revitalize its river corridor by removing industrialization-era low-head dams and planning for the region’s future. The River Corridor Revitalization project protects and transforms the green space around the Mahoning River. Preserving land along the river improves water quality while providing habitat for wildlife, recreational space for people, and flood protection for communities such as Girard, Youngstown, and Campbell, Ohio, allowing thousands of visitors to enjoy an important component of restoring these areas as thriving communities like they were when Earth Day was first celebrated.
Focus – Environmental Compliance
ms takes this opportunity to honor clients and one of our environmental compliance experts, Karel Cubik. Karel has supported our clients in performing environmental studies throughout our footprint for more than 30 years. Recently, Karel has performed environmental impact studies and waterway permit applications in support of clients such as the Ohio Department of Transportation, the Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District, and the City of Evansville, Indiana.
Focus – Transportation Traffic Design
Whether you love them or hate them, did you know that in addition to safety and improved traffic flow, roundabouts are proven to reduce carbon emissions and improve air quality? Roundabouts allow vehicles to spend less time with their engine idling, and in turn, creates fuel savings for drivers. Municipalities and planning regions such as Hilliard, Ohio, have commissioned studies and designs for roundabouts at key congested intersections.
Click here to learn more about ms sustainable design services and projects.
Committed to Sustainability and the Future
As technology advancements in equipment and design are brought into production, ms strives to keep pace. We are proud to be a Greenspot Member and commit to making our company greener through recycling, conserving and protecting water, and saving energy. Our clients are challenging us to move beyond traditional design practices and integrate renewable energy, electric vehicle infrastructure, microgrids, increased water conservation efforts, and stormwater management techniques.
Today, Earth Day is one of the most significant secular observances in the world, with over one billion people participating each year. The 400-strong at ms consultants are eager and pleased to celebrate with the global community and support our client’s investment in making the only world we have a better place.