GLOBE-Net, April 18, 2011 -
Throughout its 40 plus year history Earth Day has been a rallying
point for millions of personal acts intended to help save the
environment.
It has sparked rallies and marches,
demonstrations and parades, contests and car washes, and with the
aid of the Internet and social media tools it has become a global
moment in time to signal the importance of living more
sustainably.
Earth Day street and stream clean ups,
recycling drives, letter writing campaigns and similar calls to
reduce, reuse, and recycle have shaped the minds of two generations
of eco-conscious youth on the importance of protecting our natural
environment.
And of course, it has sparked endless political speeches with
buttons, banners and policy oriented statements. Even businesses
have been involved, not only through sponsorships of this annual
celebration, but also by cutting waste, lowering energy use, and
changing the way they operate to become more ecologically
responsible.
This year's theme for Earth Day 2011 is 'A Billion Acts
of Green: Personal, organizational and corporate pledges to live
and act sustainably'.
Like its more recent companion Earth Hour, Earth Day has shown
that for one designated day, we can come together in common cause
to make a difference, to show that change is indeed
possible.
For one brief point in time!
But this has been an issue from the beginning - how to make the
promises made on that one day realities that can shape every
day.
Many have sought to make Earth Day a vehicle to make lasting
changes - a day of commitment that leads to meaningful
results across the full spectrum of our society, in terms of how we
live, what we eat, how we move about, and how to give back to the
earth more than what we take from it.
It is a tall order and clearly there are no easy answers or
quick fixes, or 10 easy steps to a better world. If it were that
easy we would have done it already.
Earth Day does count - and every act of change must be
celebrated and embraced. It takes only one act of personal
commitment for a young mind to become the spark that leads to a
scientific breakthrough that could help us all to live in better
harmony with the earth that sustains us.
So how do we make Earth Day Every Day? One way is to hold
individuals, institutions, businesses and governments to account
for the commitments they make on that one important day to follow
through and to make them real.
For its part GLOBE will try to make a difference.
In our EPIC Events we'll show how to make
Earth Day Every Day! And everyday we'll give you choices in your
daily life that will allow you to save money and to save the
earth
Join us and help Make Earth Day Every
Day.
John D. Wiebe
President and CEO