Judy Benson

Nobody likes a nag. With that in mind, this year’s #DontTrashLISound campaign isn’t going to be harping so much on the ubiquitous litter problem as on solutions —big, small and in-between.

Think of Long Island Sound is priceless in its value as an economic, recreational and environmental asset to Connecticut’s people and wildlife. Some consider the Sound our version of a national park or forest, but it’s really more the public commons where we play, work and traverse. Until recently, no one had a comprehensive guide to show how all the pieces fit together, or how a new element could be brought in with minimal disruption. Enter the Long Island Sound Blue Plan, a kind of specialized encyclopedia of the estuary with numerous maps, plant and animal inventories, habitat descriptions and illustrations of popular sailing routes, fishing areas, cargo lanes and  many other traditional human uses we want to recognize and preserve.

No beach cleanups or parties for the planet will mark Earth Day tomorrow, April 22. But on this 50th anniversary of the event that began the same year as the passage of the Clean Air Act, we shouldn’t forget its purpose. It’s to remind us that we all depend on a healthy planet — just like we depend on healthy doctors and nurses to get us through the coronavirus crisis.

As the five-year anniversary of Sandy approaches near the end of what has seemed like a relentless hurricane season, no one should become complacent. Connecticut escaped the punishing onslaught of Harvey, Irma, Jose and Maria this year, but that luck won’t hold out forever.

Has the experience of Sandy left the state in better shape to deal with hurricanes and superstorms to come? Five experts shared their insights…