Today is the 40th anniversary of Earth Day. In those forty years, environmentalists have pressed for change. There are now more organically grown vegetables available and resurgence in farmer’s markets around the nation. Many farmers realize that they can make more money and keep their farms by rejecting pesticide/herbicide farming. Farmers are beginning to understand that factory farming sterilizes the soil and contaminates the water, causing municipalities to commit billions of tax dollars to provide clean drinking water. Often the process is ineffective, as is the case for Atrazine. Studies are revealing that the despoiled water also negatively affects the farmer’s own livestock. Change, however, comes slowly.
There is a surge of restaurants serving small plates and a Chef, Jamie Oliver, who has begun a “Food Revolution,” using the media to bring America’s unhealthy school lunch system, directed by the USDA, to the front of the public’s consciousness. American food portions have increased three fold and the use of processed foods, high in corn syrup and chemicals, has quadrupled. Obesity, food induced illnesses and allergies have spread, threatening the American segment of the world’s population. Change will come, however slowly.
There is hope, however. Europe and Asia are withstanding the pressure from America’s monolithic agri-businesses intent to export of their destructive farming methodologies and genetically modified foods. Government’s leaders are beginning to question why Americans suffers so much food contamination and it is getting harder for the producers to hide their tainted production processes. Slowly, the American eater is awakening. Slowly, change is coming.
Gluttonous use of fossil fuels has been identified as a possible human cause for ‘unusual’ warming trends on the planet, which are adversely affecting species from insects to whales, globally. Yet, there are some, fearing their wealth will be diminished if action is taken to stop the trend, who rail against the science. These same individuals, it should be noted, support action against countries that demonstrate a less than one percent chance of having nuclear weapon capabilities. They protect themselves against a less than five percent statistical chance their house will burn. They insure themselves for the less than twenty percent chance they may get sick. The question is what if the global warming skeptics are wrong and the scientists are right? If there were even a less than one percent statistical chance that humans might not survive the damage done by global warming, why would we not choose to take action? After all, currently, there is no other spaceship but Earth in this galaxy. There is no option to be transported to Pandora for safe refuge. If nothing is done, change could come too late.
While we celebrate this fortieth anniversary of Earth Day, America’s leadership is flirting with micro-sized solutions. Some are meandering toward thinking about, while others are researching, America’s contribution to the global problem. While Earth Day participants have learned to celebrate baby steps, over these forty years, baby steps may not be enough this time.
Our choices, action or lack of action, will be our gift or curse for future generations. Earth Day calls us to commit to the three R’s, “Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle.” For some it will mean they purchase locally grown vegetables, grass feed beef, or buffalo burgers instead of factory farm provided ‘value meals.’ For other, they will eat smaller portions or try to save 4 gallons of water a day by turning the water off while brushing their teeth. Many will pressure their legislators to take legislative action. Small changes, made by a multitude of people, will accelerate the change needed to insure Earth and her future inhabitants. Happy Earth Day!
