In its beginning almost 40 years ago, Earth Day was little more than a time to plant trees and enjoy the beauty of nature.

Today, a sense of urgency propels us to Earth Day observances, as it did locally and nationally on Wednesday. The education process has been a long one, but the public is coming around to understand the need to preserve our environment. Even the naysayers who scoff at global warming agree on the merits of conservation and preservation.

Since that first Earth Day in 1970, recycling has become a household word, and people who once tossed everything into the trash can are now carefully examining the recycling logo on the bottom of plastic containers. We now recognize that our beautiful planet could easily turn into a mountainous landfill, replacing the "purple mountain majesties" of song.

"Eventually, this will just be a way of life," Karen Kaplan, an adviser, said at the Pinecrest High School Earth Day program.

She's right, and we're moving rapidly toward that goal.

Green used to be a color. Today green is a movement, a goal, an industry to placate an increasingly restless Mother Nature. We talk of "green" schools and other "green" buildings, and we happily save recyclable materials.

We also examine items on the supermarket shelf to make sure packaging and contents are recyclable, or at least made of biodegradable materials. The Pilot has used recycled newsprint for years, and leftover newspapers are routinely returned for recycling. Supermarkets are recycling plastic bags and encouraging customers to bring their own reusable cloth bags.

The planting of trees and wildflowers remains a treasured feature of Earth Day, but we're digging deeper and with greater intensity. Our generation and those preceding us have pillaged the earth, and it's time to accept responsibility and rectify that despoilment. The least we can do is to set the example and lay the groundwork for future generations.

It's only too true that our children and grandchildren will pay the price for our financial profligacy. But our wasteful destruction of land, water and air is a far worse legacy that no one can afford.