It seems to me that a large percentage of the people who will celebrate Earth Day today have lost sight of the purpose of the event. Yes, it is a day for picnics and hikes and "family-together-time"; it is a day during which it is appropriate to marvel at the natural world and renew you Sierra Club membership, but I think it is obvious that it is not a day for exclusively those things. It is, and always has been, a day for environmental activism and political pressuring, a day set aside in 1970 by Senator Gaylord Nelson as a day when all nations and all people would rally for the greater good of the planet. This means marches, lobbying, and demonstrations. Not picnics or kindergarten greeting cards. Change. And it seems to me that we are in the most significant state of environmental emergency that the world has ever seen, and so more needing of change than we have ever been.Not to say that nothing is being done. Quite the opposite, in fact. Of course things are being done; the global Step It Up demonstrations which advocate the reduction of carbon emissions were a huge success a little under a week ago, environmental issues are already becoming key issues in the upcoming presidential race, and even just looking at Google's home page today you encounter the image on the right.
(Are those the polar ice caps melting? On Google?! Well would'cha look at that! Look at how as they melt, they miraculously form the logo of one of the largest, most influential companies on earth! Ironic, eh?) However, a simple Google search for Earth Day activism gleans disappointing results. Among the top hits is the Earth Day Clean Energy Demonstration in Nevada (Sierra Club) and the Laguna Beach Earth Day Celebration (yes, Laguna Beach, who knew?), but aside from those two events (which seem impossible to judge from their websites), it seems as though there is very little going on. But perhaps I'm wrong. In fact, please tell me I'm wrong.
3 comments:
Yes, I do think you are wrong. In our town, we have a day of clean=-up along the banks of two streams, followed by, yes, a community picnic. But at the picnic, all sorts of local organiztions and grass-roots groups will be present. Celebrating, yes, but also education and getting people to think and act differently. It would be great if the movement were as big as Google, but as small as a class of elementary kids cleaning up thier local stream is as good a place to start as any. Oh, yeah, and I like your blog.
Just Some Kid,
While a class of elementary school students cleaning up a stream might be a good "start", it is a late and small start. If we are serious about avoiding the danger of global climate change -- and we undoubtedly must be, if we are to survive -- then larger action needs to be taken. Perhaps Jonah's point is that after thirty years of Earth Day, we would have expected to see more than we do.
The development of alternative energy technologies is a must. Earth Day activism could focus on pressuring the federal government (in the United States, where I am) to increase funds alternative energy technology. I work in science, and believe me: you live from grant to grant.
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