Here we are again. Earth Day. I read that the “theme” for Earth Day 2023 is “Invest in our Planet.”
I wrote a blog post about this in 2020, on the 50th Anniversary of Earth Day. Since I’m a glutton for punishment, I’m going to write again.
Despite the many festivals and events you’ll hear about, and perhaps join, to celebrate Earth Day! (Or Earth Week! Or Earth Month!); the history of the event is in protest, not celebration. Yes, protest can be joyful. But protest is meant to express disapproval, objection, and/or refusal. It is meant to bring attention to deep wrongs and to stimulate change.
So, in honor of Earth Day, I’m going to protest (again) here.
We’re worse off than we were in 1970, the year of the first Earth Day protest.
In 1970 there was about 325 ppm of CO2 in Earth’s atmosphere (Source:https://www.nature.org/en-us/get-involved/how-to-help/carbon-footprint-calculator/carbon-by-birth-year/)
Now the concentration of CO2 in the Earth’s atmosphere is close to 420 ppm. (No source needed. Sadly, you can find this information anywhere these days.)
We are a society in environmental and social crisis. Climate change is here and raging, an existential manifestation of capitalism, imperialism, colonization, racism. The effects are disproportionately impacting those who are poor, without power, and already vulnerable in many other ways due to the greed of those with wealth and power.
Those with wealth and power, those doing the most destruction, are also the most wanting to maintain the status quo. They are happy to participate in Earth Day events, sponsor such events, and donate millions to “sustainability.” As long as nothing really changes.
I feel like if we’re not fighting the status quo, we’re fueling it. If you want to take a closer look at some of the mechanisms fueling the status quo, and even laugh a little (remember, protest can be joyful), I invite you to take a look at Climate Town.
Then … DO SOMETHING.
But rather than pick up trash, or download a new app that helps you reduce your carbon footprint, see if you can find ways to push against the sources of the problem. Maybe close your bank account at Wells Fargo or JPMorgan Chase. (https://www.ran.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/BOCC_2022_vSPREAD-1.pdf).
Or lobby your City and State legislators to get rid of natural gas in buildings. (https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/blogs/stateline/2022/01/06/natural-gas-bans-are-new-front-in-effort-to-curb-emissions)
Or lobby for universal health care. A legislated living wage with mandatory annual cost of living adjustment. Rent control. Abolishing the electoral college.
