January 08, 2009
Earth Has Its Say
More wind and solar power would help keep our skies blue, but it takes leaning on the powers that be.
Earth to Earth
On April 22 in 1970 — the very first Earth Day — the idea seemed fresh as newly cut grass, and the possibilities endless. Within 25 years, we thought, our cars would run on sprout juice, our houses would glimmer under the pure power of the sun and the ocean's filtering system would be brought back into balance after years of corporate dumping. Little did we know that 37 years later, we would have the warmest year in the history of the planet.
A decade or so passed and Earth Day became, during the '80s, the Me Decade, a dippy throwback to an innocent time that suddenly now seems so … relevant. Did we as Americans need to actually witness Polar Bears trapped on melting ice floes, scenes of the destruction of roughly 80 acres of rainforest lost every minute at the hands of timber corporations? Did we wake up and feel the need to keep on smelling the roses along with our coffee?
And those are only the raw resources. In Brazil alone, colonists have destroyed more than 90 indigenous tribes since the 1900s. As the tribes went by the wayside, so did centuries of accumulated knowledge about herbal medicine.
Other Inconvenient Truths
Maybe it was a good thing that Gore lost the historic, voter-challenged bid for the presidency. His recent win at the Oscars for "An Inconvenient Truth," — the third highest-grossing documentary in Oscar history — swung an enormous spotlight toward the issue of global warming. Indeed, maybe Mr. Gore needed to turn his attentions to something a little more, well, universal, even though he had been making a case for the environment for 30 years.
The problem
Boomers have always been at the front lines of the revolution to turn around the stewardship of the planet, and we are glad that now people are noticing. Earth Day will likely become a day that will be increasingly taken seriously as what was once paradise slips further into a miasma of denuded land and neon pollution. Hopefully, that won't happen. But, we've got a chance to turn things around — if we all begin. First, if you haven't been recycling, then maybe it's time to start.
Top 7 Ways to Celebrate Earth Day
1. Write your representatives. Tell them that climate protection is important to you. Your elected officials make (sometimes) critical decisions in your name that either hurt or help the fight.
2. Switch to energy-efficient bulbs. They cost a little more at the outset, but they save money and energy in the long run. See our story Living Green with more details.
3. Attend an Earth Day event with your children or grandhcildren. By attending functions, generations behind us can get further acquainted with the problem and its solutions. This year, you can also see all sorts of concerts, even after Earth Day, thanks to Al Gore (no, he's not singing), Sheryl Crow and more. Read all about it in Boomer Buzz.
4. Buy locally grown produce. Factory farming denudes the land, and the travel — up to thousands of miles — adds to green house emissions. See our story Think Global, Buy Local on the impact.
5. Buy food and other products with less packaging. Products with reusable and recyclable packaging are, obviously, more environmentally friendly than non-recyclable packaging.
6. Wrap your water heater in an insulating jacket. The move is cheap and easy and saves a lot of dollars in costs and energy.
7. Turn the thermostat down/up, depending. Get out the oscillating fans if it's getting warm or your sweaters if it's still cool. It's really a matter of the body getting used to not having perfect indoor temperature.
At ReZoom, one of the ways we want to help build a better world is by being kinder to the earth. Check in for regular tips and ideas on making your life and home more environmentally friendly.
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