Forget Guns and Roses or the Rolling Stones. Earth Day has the real comeback story.
The celebration of eco-consciousness was well suited for the early ‘70s, when it first came about, then society took a bit of a break from the whole better planet thing. Now, green is in, but is it doing us much good?
What started as an event for hippies and tree hugger types has now developed into a mainstream movement. Realization of the issues we as a people faced has sprouted the in-vogue hip thing of the moment, as well as the inevitable commercialization of it.
And that might have something to do with why the fight for environmentalists seems so uphill. It would be interesting to hear what Gaylord Nelson, credited with the foundation of Earth Day, would think about tubeless toilet paper rolls or compostable chip bags (the latter of which was pulled from shelves for being too noisy, which says a lot).
When it comes to the earth’s health, the issue seems so much bigger than any of us. Yet it’s all of us together that have walked the path we find ourselves on, and that have the power to change the course if we so desire.
In recent memory, things have been not so encouraging. For example, despite resounding agreement that this nation’s course when it comes to the use of fossil fuels is one of folly it is one we’ve been unable to solve. President Jimmy Carter made a big show of putting energy policy front and center, yet now in the Obama administration our leaders are still trying to find a way to reduce this country’s dependence on foreign oil.
It’s easy to complain about taxes and government policy when being raked over at the pump, but the average American uses nearly 450 gallons of gas a year yet fuel thirsty trucks are flying off assembly lines. The price of electricity and heating fuel is soaring yet heating and cooling our homes accounts for 56 percent of our at-home energy usage.
Though government policy plays a huge role in the energy landscape, so does personal choice. It’s a story that we’ve been hearing for years, but putting on a sweater instead of hitting the thermostat will do a lot more for the planet (and your wallet) than buying paper towels with 20 percent recycled materials.
Simple changes to these habits could result in massive shifts in the domestic energy landscape, but it seems unlikely they will be made until market pressures make our lifestyles utterly untenable. Drivers in Britain, for example, pay nearly $10 per gallon and are beset by an unholy barrage of fees, yet they still manage to get around in tiny, fuel sipping cars and public transport. They don’t do this because it’s fun, but because they have to. We may find ourselves there too, one day.
So what can you do with this rosy assessment? One is to participate in an Earth Day activity this April 22 — we’ve compiled a few for you in this edition. Simply being counted as being truly concerned about this issue makes a big difference, and it will be a great way to spend a spring day with your family, to boot.
The other is to set small goals for yourself that make not only this world a better place, but enrich your own life. Walk or ride a bike when you can, use a fan rather than A/C and consider planting a garden if you have the space. Not only are these things better for the planet, but they’re better for your wallet.
If you find yourself concerned about the world we’re making, just think about one thing in your life that could be more sustainable and make an effort to improve it. Because being green is about a lot more than the bag you eat your chips from.
