Happy Earth-Day To You....

April 22, 2003 7:52 AM

Happy Earth Day.We probably need an all-encompassing post. So post your links here. Find local events here and here (hint: they're not all taking place today, many are this upcoming weekend). Do something for the future generations.
posted by Ufez Jones (18 comments total)

One of the coolest things going on in Dallas is the advent of Ride Forward, a duo of riders leaving Plano, TX (just North of Dallas) and riding their bicycles all the way to Alaska. They'll pass through Denver and Seattle on the way (among other places, I'm sure). They're doing this to 1) Encourage a reduction of greenhouse emissions, 2) Promote bicycles as healthy, viable transportation, and 3) Reduce pressure to drill for oil in pristene public land.

What else is going on in your area? Why is Earth Day important to you?
posted by Ufez Jones at 8:01 AM on April 22, 2003

Michael Berliner: On Earth Day Remember: If Environmentalists Succeed, They Will Make Human Life Impossible

Environmentalism: The Anti-Industrial Revolution

Earth4man.com: Save the Earth From the Environmentalists

posted by dagny at 8:12 AM on April 22, 2003

Dagny: Yep. You caught me. Trying to live sustainably is just the first step in my plan to throw all machines in the sea and reduce us all to mud huts.

Oops, you'll have to excuse me, my deadline for "One Small Voice" looms.
posted by COBRA! at 8:19 AM on April 22, 2003

COBRA!, haven't you learned that it's the "the environmentalists want us livin' in caves" platitude that serves as the right's entire counter-argument?
posted by drstrangelove at 8:57 AM on April 22, 2003

Must... re-rail... thread

Here's the federal gubberment's pages on how to help out at Home, School, and Work.

For the parents, a downloadable .pdf file Earth Day coloring book for kids.

History of Earth Day.
posted by Ufez Jones at 9:15 AM on April 22, 2003

Earth4man - that sums it up pretty nicely. Outa the way, woman and child! MAN is in the house!

Ufez, you gotta admit it's entertaining how these titans of destruction and global influence act as scared as kittens at the "threat" of sustainable living.

OH NO - those wacky environmentalists are gonna STOP THE MOTOR OF THE WORLD!
posted by soyjoy at 9:19 AM on April 22, 2003

In the interest of re-railing, I guess I feel about Earth Day sort of the way I feel about TV Turnoff Week... it's an admirable idea, but it's probably better just to try to live your life with as little ecological bed-shitting as possible year-round than it is to do a special Earth Day project and then spend the other 364 not thinking about it.
posted by COBRA! at 9:21 AM on April 22, 2003

but it's probably better just to try to live your life with as little ecological bed-shitting as possible year-round than it is to do a special Earth Day project and then spend the other 364 not thinking about it.

I agree completely, Cobra!, and that's kind of why I think something like Earth Day is important, because far too few people don't think about "ecological bed-shitting" at all. It's one thing to harp about it day-after-day, which would basically cause resentment from those that don't know or don't care, and another to set aside a day (or other time period) and show them exactly how easy it is to make a couple of simple changes in their lives that can have a profound impact on their ecological footprint. Unfortunately, we're (as a society) bombarded by so many other media ongoings that it takes an actual day to set aside in order for people to think about it. That's where I'm coming from anyways. And I really just wanted to begin this thread for people to post interesting links on tips, facts, and resources, not to begin a whole debate on the philosophy of environmentalism vs. industrialism (which in my, and a lot of other people's minds, are not mutually exclusive).

More linky goodness:
From the World Wildlife Fund:
- Find out your biodiversity IQ
- Get a free action kit with goodies, resources, and other assorted materials.
- Or just play some games.
posted by Ufez Jones at 9:31 AM on April 22, 2003

I'm goin' to McDonalds, anybody need anything?
posted by jonmc at 9:45 AM on April 22, 2003

I just got my second box of organic produce delivered to my door.

Incidentally, I just redid my ecological footprint recently, and discovered that I've halved it within the last year. Boo-ya!
posted by padraigin at 10:19 AM on April 22, 2003

Thanks for the footprint reminder, padraigin. Looks like they fixed their square footage numbers, too :)
posted by Songdog at 12:06 PM on April 22, 2003

soyjoy: OH NO - those wacky environmentalists are gonna STOP THE MOTOR OF THE WORLD!

You mean the motor which could save three million people a year?

Meanwhile, the Left continues to scream "racist" at the Libertarian Right...
posted by trharlan at 12:29 PM on April 22, 2003

Meanwhile, the Left continues to scream "racist" at the Libertarian Right...

Yes, you're right, that does have a lot to do with Earth Day. Now tell me more about this fascinating DDT stuff.
posted by COBRA! at 12:45 PM on April 22, 2003

Environmental Defense, one-stop-shopping for one-click-emails to your elected reps, has a few things going on.

Arctic freakin' Drilling is back on the table in the House.

The Markey Amendment to protect the Arctic Refuge was defeated last month in the House, and you can see how your reps voted here, then write them to tell them what you think (I told my rep, who voted against Markey and FOR drilling, that he lost my vote. You, of course, can tell your rep anything you want.)

E-mails are nice; faxes and letters are sometimes better. Representative democracy does not work unless you tell your representatives what you think.
posted by Shane at 12:50 PM on April 22, 2003

those wacky environmentalists are gonna STOP THE MOTOR OF THE WORLD!
You mean the motor which could save three million people a year?

Nope. I only meant the metaphorical motor that John Galt vowed to stop (referencing dagny and her Ayn Rand pals).

But your point - that we need to allow corporations to spread their chosen pesticides as far across the globe and as many layers deep as they could possibly wish, because pesticides do have positive insect-killing properties - is well taken.
posted by soyjoy at 1:33 PM on April 22, 2003

COBRA!:Yes, you're right, that does have a lot to do with Earth Day. Now tell me more about this fascinating DDT stuff.

Well, COBRA!, the FPP's "(more inside)" asked "Why is Earth Day important to you?"

Dagny implied that Earth Day symbolizes some bad things. Soyjoy responded, sarcastically, that environmentalists would stop the motor of the world. While I noted that, in a sense, environmentalists had indeed slowed the motor of the world, I made a not-so-subtle comment that a certain aspect of the environmentalist agenda (which is celebrated on Earth Day) was disproportionately damaging to people living in malaria-infested areas. Overwhelmingly, these are economically disadvantaged people of color.

I could have written that "Earth Day is important to me because its champions pursue policies that permit the needless deaths of millions of poor, defenseless people, and as an empathic person, this saddens me." But, instead, I relied on the reader to make that connection.
posted by trharlan at 1:38 PM on April 22, 2003

Soyjoy responded, sarcastically, that environmentalists would stop the motor of the world.

Nah, I have no opinion on whether environmentalists will "stop the motor of the world" - I was merely mocking the Ayn Randites' overblown attacks with that phrase. Sure, it would be fun to examine how petrochemical industries that have done so much to destroy the quality of life for so many disadvantaged people of color for so many decades find it so crucial to watch out for their welfare in the case of malaria - hey, maybe the fact that DDT is now present in every single person on earth will give them immunity! - but please, let's not get caught up in that jabber... cause, man, it's Earth Day!
posted by soyjoy at 2:45 PM on April 22, 2003

On first glance I mistook this for 'Happy Life Day'.
Nice links, thanks Ufez.
posted by asok at 6:04 PM on April 22, 2003