Once upon a time there was Earth Day. Since 1970, Earth Day has been celebrated on April 22. Like so many important things – collective bargaining, for example – Earth Day began in Wisconsin, the brainchild of U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson, as a way to teach about the environment.
In the beginning, Earth Day was widely celebrated. That has changed over the past 40 years – sometimes it received a lot of attention, sometimes not so much.
Thirty-seven years later, activists in Australia, convinced that the environment needed more direct action, kicked off Earth Hour on March 26. In 2007 more that 2 million Australians observed Earth Hour by turning out their lights. Today, the fifth Earth Hour includes participants from every part of the globe.
At 8:30 pm (local time) more than 5 million people in 100 countries have pledged to participate. Will you join us?
By 2008, Earth Hour was an international observation and well on the way to becoming a global sustainability movement. More than 50 million people in 35 countries participated. That year global landmarks such as the Sydney Harbor Bridge, the CN Tower in Toronto, the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, and Rome’s Colosseum, all stood in darkness, as symbols of hope for an urgent cause.
According to the Earth Hour website, which is sponsored by the World Wildlife Fund,
In March 2009, hundreds of millions of people took part in the third Earth Hour. Over 4000 cities in 88 countries/territories officially switched off to pledge their support for the planet, making Earth Hour 2009 the world’s largest global climate change initiative.
On Saturday 27 March, Earth Hour 2010 became the biggest Earth Hour ever. A record 128 countries and territories joined the global display of climate action. Iconic buildings and landmarks from Asia Pacific to Europe and Africa to the Americas switched off. People across the world from all walks of life turned off their lights and came together in celebration and contemplation of the one thing we all have in common – our planet.
As I sit here in the dark posting this diary, it’s hard not to think of the abuse our plant has taken in the past year at the hands of humans. Not content to expand on the islands of plastic trash in the Atlantic and Pacific, the increase wholesale removal of mountaintops and pollute our air, this year we have undertaken a massive assault on the oceans.
As if the BP disaster in the Gulf weren’t enough, the radiation from the Japanese nuclear disaster is now being “cleaned” by the Pacific Ocean. I cringed a week or so ago when Princeton Professor Frank von Hippel explained that the U.S. was in no danger because all of the radiation was going into the Pacific, so that was “good news.” Yes, I know the Pacific is a big ecosystem – it may be our last line of defense against global pollution. So how is contaminating it with radiation a good thing?
So if it isn’t yet 8:30 pm in your local, when the time comes, turn out the lights, light a candle and sit with your family and friends for a while talking about what you can do to help save our only planet. And if it is past 8:30 pm in your location, join the Beyond the Hour observation. For ideas on what you can do to preserve the environment, to see what others are doing globally or in your home town, and to follow Earth Hour observance around the globe, check out the Earth Hour website.
Before you rush off to light a candle and turn out the lights, here is a word from our sponsors. . . .
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Tonight’s Top Comments. . . .
From Land of Enchantment:
Of the many diaries commemorating the 100th anniversary of the Triangle Shirtwaist fire, EddieC's photo coverage of the memorial at the actual site in downtown Manhattan was especially notable. And belinda ridgewood adds an eloquent testimonial therein.
From
Drewid:
I thought this comment by Gilmore was pretty funny in the ROV 26: Japan Nuclear Disaster diary.
From
sardonyx:
In Armando's diary A Voice For The Voiceless: Bob Herbert Ends Run As Times' Columnist, shanikka explains why Bob Hebert's voice is so important.
In another diary about Herbert, RadioGirl believes "it is always OK" to have discussions about human and economic priorities.
Betty Pinson reminds us of what it was like for women candidates when Geraldine Ferraro, who died today, entered politics.
In BFSkinner's diary, Huckabee: Fight Gay Marriage even if it costs you your job, Leo in NJ asks How come only sex is immoral?
Ralphdog writes about the consequences of the death of primary care in America.
From
me:
Pete Rock explains the critical difference between being a great nation and a great imperial power in melvynny's excellent rant diary.
kamarvt points out the impact of "weapons grade propaganda" in controlling the social unrest that usually results from huge income disparity like that in the U.S. in disraeli's thought-provoking diary The Class War That's Not.
nonnie9999 discovered the typo that caused the confusion for Lefty Coaster in writing the Jesus Hates Minimum Wage diary.