In this week’s Eco Report feature, Gloria Chi with Youth Radio speaks with Marsha Feldman, David VanGilder and others attending the Indiana Sustainability and Resilience Conference held at Indiana University.

May first is International Workers’ Day. On this day, the struggles and achievements of the labor movement in demanding economic justice are honored. Massive parades are held in numerous cities world wide. ( I was fortunate to attend one in Bloomington’s sister city Santa Clara some years ago.

Representatives of their numerous unions waved their banners. “May Day Strong” includes multiple activist groups that are taking a stand in support of immigrants this year and pushing back on ICE. Workers over Billionaires is a motto. Organizers are urging boycotts of work, school and shopping.

Another tradition of May Day celebrations has its roots in Medieval Europe and was popularized in the United States in the late 1800s and early 1900s. May day baskets are a tradition of leaving secret gifts such as flowers, treats, or toys for neighbors and friends to celebrate the arrival of spring.Some Mayday traditions include washing your face in the morning dew to beautify the skin and bring good luck. Doing that while barefoot can enhance the effect.

In Hawaii, Lei Day is observed by wearing or gifting the traditional floral necklace that accompanies the aloha greeting. It is also said that beekeepers traditionally move their bees on May 1st, while some farmers plant their turnips on that day. Maypoles are another customary way to celebrate May Day. A wooden pole can be erected to welcome in spring and rebirth. Trees are honored and sometimes used rather than a pole.

Trees are seen as a connection between earth and sky. A woven or braided pattern is created using colorful ribbons as participants grab hold of their ribbons and circle around the pole weaving in and out, over and under one another until the pole is fully covered and the end of the ribbon is reached. Flowers are used as decorations at the base or the top of the tree or pole.

There may be traditional songs associated with the inter-twining of people with their ribbons. Those on the inside circle lower their ribbon as those approaching in the opposite direction raise theirs resulting in a variety of patterns as the finished product.

Environmental activist Diane Wilson has been on a hunger strike for nearly a month, protesting Dow Chemical over plastic pellets she says are turning up in San Antonio Bay near Seadrift. Wilson, a longtime critic of industrial pollution along the Texas coast, says the small pellets, a raw material used to make plastic products — pose risks to the bay and surrounding communities.

“You are destroying your health, your bay system, your whole communities, and it’s very destructive,” Wilson said. “This bay does not belong to Dow … we’re trying to get them to zero discharge the plastic.” Wilson said “zero discharge” would mean no plastic pellets in area waterways. She argues reducing pellet pollution would also reduce the risk of illness.

Wilson has linked the pellets to dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Her next goal, Wilson said, is a meeting with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, where she plans to push for tighter regulations aimed at preventing pellet releases from plants in Texas.

“We are too polite, and we have to draw a line in the sand and say, ‘You’re not going to take our water, you’re not going to contaminate our bays, you’re not going to kill our communities,’” Wilson said. “We’ve drawn the line, then you hold that line. We need to be a little unreasonable, quite frankly.” Ultimately, Wilson said, her focus is holding chemical plants accountable for pollution and protecting the community.

Here’s something you probably haven’t considered: That “magic eraser” sponge under your sink might be quietly contributing to microplastic pollution every time you use it. Researchers publishing in the journal Environmental Science tested melamine sponges—those powerful little cleaners that can scrub just about anything without added chemicals—and what they found is concerning.

As the sponge wears down during normal use, it releases tiny plastic fibers that wash down your drain and into water systems. How many plastic fibers? A single sponge can release about 6.5 million microplastic fibers per gram of material used. Researchers estimate that assuming each sponge loses about 10 percent of its material during use, and based on sales from just one retailer, these sponges could be releasing over a trillion microplastic fibers globally every month.

As these fibers enter wastewater, they can pass through treatment plants and end up in rivers, lakes, and oceans. From there, they get ingested by fish and other wildlife, potentially moving up the food chain and eventually reaching us. The study found that sponge density makes a difference—denser sponges hold up better and release fewer fibers. So what can you do?

Switch to natural cleaning materials that don’t contain plastic, or choose denser, more durable sponges that last longer. Better filtration at home or in wastewater systems could also help capture these particles before they reach the environment. It’s a reminder that pollution doesn’t always come from the obvious sources. Sometimes it’s hiding in everyday household products we use without a second thought.

International Dark Sky Week took place between April 13 and April 20 and communities around the world took notice. In Louisville, Kentucky Mayor Craig Greenberg partnered with the Louisville Audubon Society to launch Lights Out Louisville, a conservation program aimed at reducing light pollution and protecting migratory birds and other wildlife. The initiative tackles a problem most people don’t think about: artificial light at night attracts and disorients birds during migration, leading to fatal collisions with buildings and windows. As many as five billion birds die each year across the U.S. from these crashes (the second highest cause of death after CATS!)

Indiana sits directly beneath a major migration corridor—the Mississippi Flyway—where, according to Indiana Audubon, radar estimates show that several million birds may be flying over the state on peak migration nights. About 80% of migratory land birds travel at night while we’re asleep, many giving soft flight calls overhead that most of us never notice. Research shows that nocturnal songbirds like warblers, thrushes, vireos, and sparrows make up most collision victims. Unfortunately, 44% of bird collisions don’t happen against city skyscrapers—they happen at homes and low-rise buildings in rural and suburban areas.

But the impact of light pollution extends beyond birds. Right here in Monroe County, Sycamore Land Trust has documented how artificial light affects threatened species like the Indiana bat and the rare cypress firefly at Beanblossom Bottoms Nature Preserve. According to Sycamore’s Education Director, light pollution disrupts the natural rhythms of pollinators and bats that rely on darkness for navigation and foraging. Studies show that little brown bat populations can be reduced by up to 75% when light is introduced to their habitat. For the Indiana bat, light pollution represents yet another threat to their already-limited habitat. Light pollution also affects plant pollination, leading to reduced plant reproductive success, altered flowering times, and decreased biodiversity with ripple effects throughout entire ecosystems.

According to Dark Sky International, 99% of the U.S. population lives under sky glow, and sadly, Indiana has no designated “dark sky” areas. However, preserves like Beanblossom Bottoms—nestled just far enough from Bloomington—can offer spectacular views of the night sky and provide crucial habitat for light-sensitive species.

Louisville Metro Government is leading by example, upgrading lighting at parks, city buildings, and library branches while training staff to reduce excess light during migration seasons. The city is also using national lighting standards in new projects and finding ways to retrofit existing lighting—an approach that saves energy costs while protecting wildlife. They ask residents and businesses to turn off non-essential indoor and outdoor lighting from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. during peak migration months—April and May in spring, and September and October in fall.

Similar “lights out” campaigns are gaining traction nationwide. Cities like Chicago participate in coordinated efforts during migration season, significantly reducing bird mortality. For communities like Bloomington, resources like Indiana Audubon’s Lights Out Indiana program and local conservation groups like Sycamore Land Trust show how cities can balance sustainability, wildlife protection, and community engagement. Light pollution isn’t just an issue for big cities. When neighborhoods and communities work together to keep skies dark, they protect entire ecosystems, from threatened bats and rare fireflies to the pollinators that sustain our native plants.

In this week’s Eco Report feature, Gloria Chi with Youth Radio speaks with Marsha Feldman, David VanGilder and others attending the Indiana Sustainability and Resilience Conference held at Indiana University.

Credits:

On Air…………………………………..Julianna Dailey

Eco Report is  looking for reporters, engineers, and segment producer to report facts on how we’re all affected by global climate disruption and the ongoing assaults on our air, land and water. We also celebrate ecologists, tree huggers, soil builders and other champions who actively protect and restore our natural world, particularly those who are active in south central Indiana. All levels of experience and all ages are welcome, and we provide the training you’ll need. WFHB also offers internships.

To volunteer for Eco Report, call at (812) 323-1200, or e-mail [email protected].