Every spring is the only spring, a perpetual astonishment.
– Ellis Peters, English writer (1913-1995)
by Celicia Boyden, EIT, Water Resources Engineer
The forsythia bushes are beginning to bloom and the gloomy showers of April are bringing out the best in the grass, which begins to shoot up in vibrant greens. I can relate to Mr. Peters about being in perpetual astonishment as I notice the little changes of the season. The Earth, too, seems to take a collective sigh of relief that winter might truly be over, and Earth Day is the perfect celebration of this.
At the Providence office, springtime brings a renewed connectedness to our favorite neighbor, the Woonasquatucket River or, as we lovingly refer to it, “The Woony”. Several of us sneak out during lunch, especially on sunny days, to enjoy lunch by the river and count fish at the Rising Sun Mill Dam fish ladder as volunteers for RIDEM. Last Friday, volunteers from our office participated in the Downtown Woony Clean Day. Armed with waders and shoulder-length gloves, we forded the river – pulling out some 20 tires, a cash register (which was formerly home to an eel – fun surprise!), traffic barrel, and slide projector (just to name a few of the scummy treasures).
Our efforts volunteering culminated in a keen sense of comradery and teamwork. It took a team of people, some from Fuss and some from other companies, to dig out the tires and traffic barrel from the riverine sediment. It took a team of people, in both the river and on land, loading and hauling the waste away. There’s nothing like the spontaneous rescue and restoration of an eel back to its river to unify a collective!
With the changes of the seasons, I hope you take time to be astonished by, and to reconnect with, the Earth. Remember that Earth Day is a celebration of gifts that the Earth bears forth and acknowledge that there is still work to be done. Pick up some trash, take a nap in the grass, feel the sunshine on your face, and have a Happy Earth Day!
Celicia Boyden
About the Author:
Celicia’s work at Fuss & O’Neill includes a variety of civil and environmental projects to improve stormwater management and water quality, to restore compromised riverine ecosystems, and to perform dam inspections. Celicia brings a strong applied science and engineering based education to her work in the Water Resources Design Group. She is pursuing a Master’s degree in the Environmental Engineering for Professions Program at Johns Hopkins University.
