We only have one Earth and we would be smart to take better care of it.Somewhere along the line, Earth Day, which will be celebrated on Tuesday, has gained a reputation as an event only commemorated by children and granola-eating environmentalists. In recent years, however, it has become increasingly apparent that all of us who inhabit the Earth need to do a better job of preserving the natural beauty and resources it provides us.
Americans are especially guilty of taking our natural environment for granted. Blessed with a country that had vast open spaces and plentiful natural resources, our ancestors often saw little need to be concerned about the environment. If one spot became spoiled, they could move on. If a natural resource was depleted in one area, it could be found somewhere else.
Obviously, we now must be far more concerned with preserving the quality of our air and water and protecting other natural resources. What once seemed like an inexhaustible supply of resources to support our lives and lifestyles now seems less secure.
The attitude of our forefathers is understandable, but that doesn't mean today's Americans can continue to ignore the effect of a rising population on our natural environment. It's easy to fall into the trap of thinking that whatever an individual is capable of doing really won't make much difference in the big scheme of things, but that isn't true. Millions of people taking small steps toward protecting the environment can make a huge difference.
Simple recycling, for instance, can help keep the Earth from becoming a huge trash dump. Don't litter. Volunteers scouring 33,000 miles of the world's beaches last September found 6 million tons of debris, including nearly 2.3 million pieces of cigarette trash and more than half a million plastic bags.
Think about how much water you and your family use. Even in other parts of Kansas, residents are being forced to take shorter showers, stagger outdoor watering and turn the tap off while they're brushing their teeth. Think about whether you really need to drive as much as you do, and at least try to combine errands on a single trip. Think about how much trash you set at the curb each week. Is there a way to use and dispose of less?
Humans being as they are, many of us won't change our ways until we are forced to do so, but evidence is that that day may be coming. High-priced fuel may return air travel to a service for the elite. New federal clean air standards may force us to look at new ways to generate the power. Declining water resources may trigger more regional conflicts - legal, if not physical - over water supplies.
On Earth Day 2008, the global environment is sending us many negative messages. As we learn how to better interpret those messages, future actions should become more clear. But in the meantime, even small steps taken by many people will help. Protecting the environment isn't just a job for children and naturalists; it's a job for everyone.
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BigPrune (anonymous) says…
All pray to Mother Earth, the secular goddess.
jason2007 (anonymous) says…
This article is case-in-point as to why many of the economic woes we're encountering today are happening. Here's the rundown:1) The recent denial by the leadership at the KS Governor's office for a new coal-fired power plant will inevitably increase power costs = inflation;2) The resistance by the federal and most state governments to build new refinement facilities has resulted in a bottleneck to refine crude in America. No new refineries have been built since the early 1970s and those plants have become extremely expensive to maintain = inflation;3) Environmentalist extremist groups like the Sierra Club have successfully lobbied Congress to block any and all attempts to extract the crude that we have in this country, making us more dependent on foreign oil and the fluctuations in the oil market = inflation;4) Because of the increased demand for oil on the world market (due primarily by China's and India's rampant growth), and our own energy dependence on the Middle East and Venezuela, the cost of a barrel of crude has skyrocketed = inflation;5) Due to the above facts, anything that requires ground, rail, or air transportation to be made available via retail outlets for Americans (basically, everything) has increased in price to cover the higher fuel costs = inflation;The biggest problem facing us right now is liberalism and the mindset that comes with this way of thinking. I have no problem and even welcome the opportunity for entrepreneurs to develop an alternative to fossil fuels but we can't price the entire American populace into poverty because we want to "do something good for the environment". The people may be standing in soup lines someday but by golly, we'll have a clean earth with an atmospheric CO2 level equal to that in 1820! That's all that matters, isn't it?
ENGWOOD (anonymous) says…
Buy a horse and buggy and build a Soddy and they will still whine!!!!!!!
preebo (anonymous) says…
Actually, Prune, the term Mother Earth is very much a Judeo-Christian concept. It came about as a result of the account of creation in the book of Genesis. It refers to the action of God, The Father, creating Adama or "Earth Creature" in Hebrew out of the soil/earth. Hence Mother Earth was used to describe the creation of Man by God/Father through the Earth/Mother in the familial structure of the time.