Earth Day

Today, 38 years ago, Gaylord Nelson (the Democratic senator from Wisconsin) and millions of people in the US from coast to coast involved in nationwide grassroots demonstration on behalf of the environment. An event to express their concerns about what was happening to the land, rivers, lakes, and air. That’s a remarkable history of Earth Day.

". . . on April 22, 1970, Earth Day was held, one of the most remarkable happenings in the history of democracy. . . " -American Heritage Magazine, October 1993

Today, April 22, 2008, we are facing an environmental crisis, far worse than the US demonstrators realized in the 1970. Earth is already showing many signs of worldwide climate change:
- Average temperatures have climbed 1.4 degrees Fahrenheit (0.8 degree Celsius) around the world since 1880
- The rate of warming is increasing. The 20th century's last two decades were the hottest in 400 years and possibly the warmest for several millennia.
- Average temperatures in Alaska, western Canada, and eastern Russia have risen at twice the global average between 2000 and 2004.
- Arctic ice is rapidly disappearing, and the region may have its first completely ice-free summer by 2040 or earlier.
- Glaciers and mountain snows are rapidly melting—for example, Montana's Glacier National Park now has only 27 glaciers, versus 150 in 1910.
- Some experts also attribute an upsurge in the amount of extreme weather events, such as wildfires, heat waves, and strong tropical storms, in part to climate change.

Just like a body with lung cancer, it will not recover simply by quitting smoking. It is almost impossible to turn the earth just like it was two hundred years ago, when it was young and strong, when we still had time to establish sustainable development. Damage has been done, it is now much too late to pretend we are living in the 'same' earth. Something got to be done… a radical change just to make this earth remains a friendly place to live. Even turning all the cars and trucks off will not make our earth a better place; we need to do more than just stop smoking. And we need to do it together… started by every one who accidentally read this, whoever we are. Get out of the comfort zone because 'business as usual' is no longer an option. The planet is ours to save. Don't leave it to the government, earth needs our actions today... yes! ours, today...