Eco-Events

The Spirit of Earth Day

By Eric McLamb
April 2009

Earth Day was established in 1970 in the United States, unofficially launching the modern day “environmental movement.”  It is observed around the world in both the spring (northern hemisphere) and autumn (southern hemisphere) and is also celebrated each year by the United Nations on the March equinox.

The original Earth Day flag was designed in 1969 by Earth Day pioneer John McConnell. There have been a number of Earth Day flags over the years, and there is not an “official” flag for Earth or Earth Day. The one here remains perhaps the most popular because it is the first image taken of the whole Earth – the “blue pearl” --  taken by the Apollo 10 space crew in 1969.

Earth Day is a day that officially promotes awareness and appreciation for Earth’s environment. In fact, it was concern over the burgeoning population growth that motivated the launch of Earth Day and urged movement toward Zero Population Growth in order to help reduce the strain on and manage the use of Earth’s natural resources. Think about that...

When Earth Day was founded, the world’s human population was about 3.7 billion. Today, there are approximately 6.9 billion people living on our planet. The population has increased 186 percent since Earth Day was founded 39 years ago. This in no way diminishes the importance or efficacy of Earth Day, but rather enhances its importance as a reminder of one very important truth that everyday should be treated as Earth Day.

When I was in elementary school, I remember quite vividly the local high school’s Rotary Officers Training Corps (ROTC) holding a flag raising and tree planting ceremony on my school’s grounds in observance of Arbor Day, the day the importance and vitality of trees to environmental health is recognized. Arbor Day was actually launched in the US state of Nebraska in 1872 and is today celebrated on different dates in numerous countries around the world including Australia, Egypt, Germany, Venezuela, the Netherlands, Kenya, Israel, Japan and the United States.

It was quite inspiring to me to see this tree planting and to understand and feel its importance. Of course, during my pre-adolescent years back in the 1960s, I was unaware of all the existing and developing challenges to our natural resources, but I always did think about what it would be like without trees -- not a pleasant thought. Since those days and that first tree planting I observed, I’ve always had a special feeling and commitment to trees. But it was always a little more than that; there was always the feeling that trees are an important part of the chain of life that involves all plants and creatures and how we do and use things.

The world’s human population today is about 6.9 billion and is growing at a rate of about 1.14 percent per year. At this rate, world population would reach 13 billion by 2067. Population growth was the key consideration in the founding of Earth Day in 1969 and 1970 by peace activist  John McConnell and US Senator Gaylord Nelson.

Earth has an amazing ability to take care of itself and nurture its own inhabitants. Yet humans have an amazing capacity to challenge Earth’s natural development and nurturing processes -- and we absolutely have done that.

The positive side of that statement is that humans have an even greater ability – and the power – to work with Earth and all the planet has to offer and provide in ways that promote the health of the burgeoning human species and all that is inherently vital to the overall health of the environment on which all creatures depend.

We are doing it in many different ways. Just as we strive for technological progress to let us do more things and enjoy more of what life has to offer, we as a world community have the ability to be smarter about what we do and to create a healthier and far more sustainable life that takes into consideration – and appreciation -- all the things, plants and wildlife around us and that we need either directly or indirectly.

To me, the power to build, nurture and sustain is true power. To destroy is not power, but short-sightedness.

The Earth will heal itself as it always has through the millennia and will continue to go through its cycles of changing life and environmental conditions. After all, Earth has been around for over four and a half billion years. Humans have been around for only about 2.2 million of those billions of years.

The question is what will be the human condition? Keep in mind the human condition is directly related to the condition of all other creatures and living things. Can we humans integrate the practicalities encouraged by Earth Day into our existence?

The key to our progress is to seamlessly integrate sound ecological and environmental practice into our everyday lives, the same as it is prudent to have proper diets and look after all the other things that are vital in our lives. We do this in collaboration with our neighbors because the entire circle of life depends on the same resources all the time -- that has never changed and never will.