Join the Celebration on Earth Day

This Sunday is Earth Day. We tend to take Mother Earth for granted, just like our own mother, until we are forced to recognize her on her birthday or Mothers' Day. We often gratefully accept all the wonderful things she has to offer without so much as a thank you. So now is the time to do something wonderful for the mother of all life; for this incredible planet we call home.

Earth Day is especially poignant this year, for Mother Earth is very ill. Humanity is awakening on a grand scale to the extent of her suffering; suffering caused by our own actions. Whether this is happening out of our love for the Earth, from a feeling of guilt in witnessing the effects of our actions, or typical human greed, where we see that the Earth cannot provide for us as she once was able, is no longer of importance. What counts is that we now see the harm we are causing to our planet, and we are aware that we must do something to heal her; we must change our ways. For if we continue on our current path, despite our awareness of the destruction we cause, then we are savage, while hiding behind the banner of civilized progress. It would be the ultimate in human greed and malice to continue to abuse our planet for temporary material gain, without concern for future generations and the many other inhabitants of this planet, while fully understanding the impact of our actions.

Currently, environmental focus is on climate change and curbing our greenhouse gas emissions. This is crucial in reversing some of the damage we have caused to the Earth, but it is not the only issue of environmental concern. Science is often a very useful tool, but it has taken our focus away from the bigger picture and forced us to look at things in isolation, and, even worse, can be bought and sold like any commodity. For example, science may lead humanity to decide that nuclear energy is the only option to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. But the Earth functions through the interconnectedness of all things. Science and nuclear energy proponents are not considering this interconnectedness when they try to convince us that nuclear energy is "clean". They fail to tell us in their glossy ads that the mining of uranium and the creation of toxic nuclear waste are not the answer to making the world more environmentally sustainable. It is only the answer as to how they can make their wallets, and those of the scientists and spin doctors they pay, fatter.

So every time we open our own wallets to fill someone elses, we should consider the impact of the transaction we are about to undertake. Who is our money going to, and do they care about the Earth and all of it's inhabitants? After all, environmentalism is not anti-consumerism, but rather about sustainable, environmentally and socially conscious consumerism. How we spend our money will dictate the kind of world in which we live, so we should spend it responsibly and consider the Earth when we do.

I will be joining in on Nanaimo's Earth Day celebrations, put on by the Nanaimo Recycling Exchange, on the waterfront at beautiful Maffeo Sutton Park. Stop by Georgia Strait Alliance's booth and say hello or visit Earth Day Canada's website to find an event in your area.

Get out there and make a difference to Mother Earth, where ever you are, as this is her day. Immerse yourself in the great outdoors, for what better way to honour your Mother than to spend time with her. Remind yourself why she is so precious, and why we must take care of her. Maybe then, when Earth Day is over, we will be more likely to ask ourselves if our next move will make the world a better place. If you're not part of the solution, you are part of the problem. That's what Keeping Down with the Jones' is all about.