Our View: Hi-Line darts and laurels

Laurel — At Montana State University-Northern, students took an active role in an effort to clean up the campus for Earth Day. Lots of students took part. They celebrated the day with a T-shirt and a barbecue. Among other things, the students picked up 15 pounds of cigarette butts from campus grounds. By next Earth Day, there may be way fewer butts on campus. A proposal is before Chancellor Jim Limbaugh that would prohibit smoking on campus.

Dart — It seems that fewer people took part in Earth Day activities this year. Earth Day provides an opportunity to take part in clean-up activities and to educate ourselves in the problems facing our environment, including climate change. It is especially important for young people to get involved.

Laurel — Some people, though, are very helpful in improving the environment on the Hi-Line, and a few were honored as environmental heroes by Recycle Hi-Line at Monday’s Havre City Council meeting. Joseph Vernon, a Northern student, Walt Ball, administrator of Eagles Manor, and Bob and Kathy Doney of Bob’s Greenhouse also received awards for various projects they have undertaken. Congratulation to all. Another group of environmental heroes not honored by Recycle Hi-Line was Recycle Hi-Line. The group has worked hard to set up recycling programs in the area. The environment is already improved, and we expect great things in the future.

Laurel — Leaders of the House and Senate Democratic caucuses in the Montana Legislature visited the Hi-Line Wednesday to listen to area residents list some of the problems that could be solved with state help. Of course there was a political bent to the day’s activities, but it was still great to see people from Helena take an interest in Hi-Line activities. And people who came did a good job of explaining some of the problems to downstaters.