Green Daily

I think the Earth might have been speaking it's mind about its Day over the last couple of them in the Washington, D.C. region. Boy, did it ever rain on whatever parade may have been planned. And I just feel the need to pile on a bit. Turns out, the Earth very well might have been testing us. And we very well might have failed.

First, it's great to think that some might be inspired to make changes beginning today that impact our planet in less harmful or even beneficial ways. It's great that some might learn a whole lot about doing that via this web site and blog posts from me and my various colleagues who contribute to Green Daily 364 days a year plus today. But there's tomorrow too. And the next day. And every day after that.

The efforts we write about aren't about celebrating a day. They are part of a way of life that will preserve our planet for our children.A couple of Washington Post writers shared my curmudgeonly approach in today's paper. Beneath the Page One headline Green for a Day, but Then Comes Tomorrow, staff writer David A. Fahrenthold reports the good and bad news regarding the environment in the region; since the first Earth Day, in 1970, environmental laws have helped clean up rivers across the country and the banning of the pesticide DDT in the 1970s helped bring back the bald eagle. Meanwhile, some environmental historians wonder what it is all adding up to and worry that the activity will give the illusion that major environmental problems are being solved -- when, in fact, many remain intractable, according to the article.

"Earth Day today is really much more like Mother's Day, or maybe Martin Luther King Day," said Adam Rome, a professor of history at Penn State University, in the Post story. "It's a once-a-year day to think about some things or maybe do a little something," he said, not the call for major life change and political action that it was in 1970.

And in a Post Style section essay, What Killed Earth Day? Too Much Fuss And No Bother, writer Hank Stuever answers the question in various humorous ways, including this:

"Earth Day died the minute they canceled that Earth Day concert here on Sunday. Because of rain. Because of lightning. That sort of wussiness won't save the planet. Earth Day died because, it turns out, saving the Earth is going to be very complicated. It is going to require attention spans, intelligence, sacrifice and lawyers and more than one day a year. To save the Earth, Earth Day had to go."

As for me, I'd love to know the cost/benefit analysis of all the waste created by Earth Day events that weren't canceled: booths at festivals, packaging for samples, printing of promotional materials. At least I can feel proud that Green Daily isn't creating any waste with our coverage and hopeful that our site will continue to make a difference tomorrow. And every day after that.