Earth Day

Well, it's here. One of my favorite days of the year. Partly because it's in the spring, and partly because it's meaning more to more people now than it has for years.

I remember the first one, around 1970. A lot of my classmates walked miles to school instead of driving or riding. It made a difference, but just for that one day. A lot of those same people grew up to buy large, gas-guzzling cars, move into big, poorly-insulated houses, and generally ignore the idea of caring for the environment. Too bad people didn't care about building better cars and buildings 'way back when the topic was raised so long ago. Think of the hundreds of thousands of houses that have built to what would now be sub-code standards, and the millions of gallons of extra gas used that have helped raise the current price of gas and pollute the planet.

Still, it's finally fashionable to care. One good thing I've read is that part of the stimulus plan will include making improvements to existing homes to make them more energy efficient. This is a case where creating jobs has multiple good effects: people get work and income, others save money, and the planet will be cleaner in the long run, which benefits us all. And people like me don't get quite so cranky.

So, on Earth Day, do something extra special and helpful that you wouldn't normally do. If you only do it one day, it makes a difference. And if it makes you think the next time, it could make a difference for a long time.