Every Day is Earth Day

Forty plus years of celebrating Earth Day. Earth Day. Think about that for a moment.

It’s over forty years later, and we're still at it, one day, each year. I would have expected more after forty years of conscious-raising attention, as it seems that we haven't made much progress, but have actually systematically digressed. While I understand many of us recycle more, separating our plastic from our paper, the changes required will take a real and significant grass roots effort on our part. And although our corporations and governments talk the talk, they certainly don't walk their talk. In fact our current US President actually reversed a ban on drilling off of most of America's coastlines, allowing new gas platforms to go up along the southern Atlantic shores, eastern Gulf of Mexico and parts of the Alaskan coast.

While the US government claims to pursue renewable energy resources, we continue to actually do more harm than good. Most people have forgotten that we are all totally dependent upon this beautiful planet on which we live, each and every moment of our lives. And we could not survive without Mother Earth’s amazing ecosystem, abundance, and diversity that She provides for us, and yet we continue to abuse, gouge, gorge, and poison Her to the brink of total destruction.

Yet, for most of us, our attention is drawn to Her plight only on this one designated Earth Day a year. I come from the world of advertising, and so I understand that in today's world, whether dominated by corporate greed, or the dreams of the entrepreneurial endeavor, that marketing strategies and tactics are necessary in order to create profits.

My point is simply one of waking up to this fact, and becoming more aware of what is really important now. If more of us don't begin to change the way we live, and take real stock of the excess and waste that we all create in our daily lives, as individuals as well as collectively, we will not succeed, and we certainly will not survive.

What can we do to ensure that this doesn't happen? If the US Baby Boomer generation alone, of which I am part of, would lead the way, in practical, every-day ways, together we could make significant changes to creating lasting success for everyone, especially our children. If you don't feel motivated to make changes on your own, then look into the eyes of the child you are closest to, and imagine a world without them, because that's where we're headed. It is our responsibility to them, our children that we love and have given life to, to ensure that they have the same chance that we had, to have a future to live their lives on an ecologically healthy and sustainable planet.

When I reflect upon how this generation grew up during the 50's and 60's, as compared to how our children are growing up now, the differences are staggering. We have grown so far away from playing in the backyard with the other kids on our block, and staying outside until the streetlights came on. Now, our children are not even leaving the house to go out and play, but are glued to their desks at school for too many hours of the day, and then glued to the TV, computers and video games once they get home.

As parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles and friends of these children, I must ask this question; what are we doing? There are plenty of options available to all of us to make changes today in the interest of helping our children get disconnected from the virtual lives that they are living, and reconnected to Nature and the beautiful planet on which we live. It's not too late, but we all need to make some real changes in our lives.

I've been a single parent from day one, so I understand what many parents face as they are also working longer hours in the day. However, we must wake up to what's really going on here, take responsibility for own lives, the future of our children's lives and our planet, starting today, and every day thereafter.

Does it make sense to you that we can seriously believe that if we pay attention and do 'our part' on this one day a year, April 22nd, that anything will change enough to make a difference, and in time? The other 364 days a year, the majority of people go back to their daily lives, giving little thought to what they can do to help save our planet, and humanity's future by making real changes in how they live.

My belief is that every day is Earth Day. As every day, we all depend on Mother Earth for our literal survival. Why wouldn't we honor Her and the abundance that we receive from her each and every day of our lives? It really makes no logical sense, and we have to wake up to this reality, or we will not have a reality in which to live.

Mother Earth continues to be there for us, with her great abundance, immense beauty and loving sustenance. I for one believe that the Indigenous Natives of the Planet have had it right all along. I also believe that it is time, that we in the western world, dominated by our technologically-driven lives, wake up and take a lesson from their innate way of life of living in harmony with Nature, and not against it, before it's too late.

As far as I'm concerned, every day is Earth Day. Mother Earth is the most magnificent, beautiful and bountiful planet that I could ever hope to live on, and I am ever so grateful to be one of her children. Thank you Mother for the bounty of your beauty, your grace, and the great abundance that you so lovingly provide and entrust your children with. I promise to do my part to ensure your survival in every way that I can, and dedicate every day as Earth Day on your behalf.
I love you with all my Heart.