celebrating earth day while the earth goes to hell in a handbasket

alternet thinks it’s time to give up on earth day altogether because one day a year is simply not enough.

it’s impossible to disagree with joseph romm when he writes “I would say that from here on in, every day has to be Earth Day.” we’re already in full environmental disaster mode; it’s no longer about prevention, it’s now about cure.

so yeah, it’s nice that the earth day celebration organizers got the flaming lips to appear at one of their events, but that’s frighteningly close to fiddling while rome burns. i suppose if the lips bring out a crowd that’s new to the message there’s some use in it, though i would hope that there aren’t too many americans of concertgoing age who still don’t have a clue about global warming. seems like way too little, way too late. not that the earthdayers haven’t been trying for years.

why so glum, jackie? here are a few reasons:

climate change is, in some ways, invisible. thus leaving asshole politicians like the present house minority leader free to make statements like:

“The idea that carbon dioxide is a carcinogen that is harmful to our environment is almost comical.“

yep, i’m laughing all the way to the furnace with you, john. while the hideous myth of clean coal continues to spread its meme throughout the land. there is no such thing as environmentally clean coal. please keep that in mind when ads promoting it come flashing from your television set. meanwhile, the wilkins ice shelf is well on its way to separating from the antarctic continent. this kind of thing should be making front-page news. it isn’t.

it’s much more likely, if you do a web search on earth day or climate change, that your results will mostly contain products: solar chargers, electric cars, carbon credits. so while i appreciate the new availability of things such as solar panels for small homes, i can’t help but think how it’s PRODUCTS that have gotten us here in the first place. so it’s a little sick-making to see “being green” characterized as simply buying eco-friendly items. we have to change the way we live, not just our shopping habits.

here’s one way to really get green: become a vegetarian (or, if that seems impossible, at least sign up for meatless mondays).

here’s another: stop buying bottled water. period full stop. i don’t buy bottled water but i do drink canned diet soda. my earth day resolution is to stop doing that. immediately and permanently. my body will thank me for it anyway.

take public transportation whenever possible.

TURN SHIT OFF WHEN YOU ARE NOT USING IT! and plug your shit into power strips that can, themselves, be turned off — and turn the suckers off when the shit that they power is not being used. then watch your electric bill shrink by more than half (mine did).

always go through the revolving doors to get into a building, even if regular doors are available.

you may have seen this video before, but even if you have, it’s worth another look: