Happy Earth Day! I live in Santa Barbara, CA, which is the birthplace of Earth Day in a way—the 1969 Santa Barbara oil spill (4.2 million gallons worth) was the main catalyst that led to the holiday’s founding.
Santa Barbara’s no stranger to quakes either; a 6.3 earthquake destroyed or badly damaged 85% of the commercial buildings downtown in 1925.
In that way, this puzzle is a tribute to both the holiday and my city. Here’s to never forgetting these tragedies, and humanity’s resilience to rebuild after them.
As usual, here are some fun rejects that fit the theme but didn’t make the cut: RATE HIKE, HATERADE, HEAT RASH, and my favorite: TEAR HERE
Also, I made this whole puzzle without the most famous anagram of Earth —