Ah, things ain't what they used to be.
What about this overcrowded land?
How much more abuse from man can she stand?
- Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology), Marvin Gaye
She is Mother Earth and she tired as hell right about now. Hanging by a thread or two, you know what I'm saying? Any mother can tell you a story about a time when one of her children, to whom she gave life, had the nerve to be ungrateful towards her. Imagine the story of a mother to billions...
Tomorrow is Earth Day; a day observed around the world to inspire awareness of and appreciation for the Earth. Maybe I should call her Home. If people called Earth "Home", would they treat her better?
One spring day sixteen years ago, a young bright eyed innocent girl rushed home to share with her mom all that she learned in school that day about Earth Day. She ran down a list of all sorts of stats about the ways that humans were destroying our Home. The young girl shared with her mother solutions for stopping global warming and cleaning up our environment by starting with our individual communities. She then asked her mother "why don't we recycle"? The child took an empty paper bag, sat it next to the garbage can, and instructed everyone to put all recyclable products into the paper bag.
The following week, the young girl brought home refrigerator magnets that the student government association was selling for a quarter each. The students made the magnets in observance of Earth Day and proceeds from the sale would be donated to an organization that support the cause. The magnets had slogans like "We breathe the air, so let's take care."
She proudly purchased four magnets and strategically placed them on the fridge for all to see.
I was that child. The recycle station that I set up in my mother's kitchen did not last very long. I quickly grew tired of finding glass bottles or aluminum cans in the garbage can and having to pick them out to be rinsed and properly disposed of. When I would ask my mom why she wasn't recycling, she would ask me to leave her alone.
She still doesn't recycle.
The magnets are still on her fridge.
Since the day I moved into my own crib in 2004, I recycle daily.
What the hell is my point you ask? Everyone does not care about our environment, our Home. As much as I care, my own mama never gave a damn... But that should not stop me. Nor should it stop anybody else who has realized that we're headed for self-destruction. It is too easy for us to do the right thing. So why is it so damn hard to get folks to do it?
I present to you Dark & Stormy's Earth Day challenge: Every day, do one thing that will protect and improve the world around you. Just one. Don't try to get fancy. Keep it simple and easy.
- Recycling is one of the easiest things you can do. All you're doing is separating before you dispose.
- Carpool with a friend or family member the next time you plan a group activity.
- Walk or bike when you know driving ain't really necessary (i.e. you want to grab an ice cold beverage or snack from the neighborhood convenience store).
- Turn the lights off when you leave a room.
- Pick up a piece of trash that you see laying on the sidewalk or in the grass.
Just keep it simple. One a day, like a damn apple.
How would you treat your mama's house?
Tumultuously Yours,
Dark & Stormy
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