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StumbleSUN EDITORIAL:
Earth Day 2010
We’ve made steps toward helping environment, but more needs to be done
Thursday, April 22, 2010 | 2:01 a.m.
In 1969, two environmental stories garnered wide attention — the Cuyahoga River in Ohio caught fire and California’s coast was tarred by an oil spill off Santa Barbara. Sen. Gaylord Nelson, a Democrat from Wisconsin, noted that the federal government lacked the tools to protect the environment, and he wanted to spur a growing public interest in ecology. To do that, he created Earth Day, which he called an effort to “force this issue onto the national agenda.”
It worked. On April 22, 1970, an estimated 20 million people across the country took part in Earth Day activities to show their support. In the years since, the country has made major strides to clean up and protect the air, water and land. The Environmental Protection Agency was established in late 1970, and major pieces of legislation have continued to strengthen the law.
It would be unthinkable today to even consider that a river in the United States would be so polluted that it could catch fire. People can no longer dump pollutants into the environment without fear of being caught and punished.
Today, on the 40th anniversary of Earth Day, Americans should be pleased with the steps that have been taken over the years, but they shouldn’t be satisfied. Despite changes and efforts to recycle and conserve resources, the country still consumes and pollutes too much. The United States is still the world’s leader in oil consumption and it is second in coal consumption and carbon dioxide production. Carbon dioxide is the greenhouse gas that scientists say shares the bulk of the blame for climate change.
Under President Barack Obama, the country has been moving toward doing more to protect the environment, particularly by developing alternative energy sources. The Navy, for example, is trying to create a “great green fleet” using alternative fuel sources and today is scheduled to test a fighter jet it calls the Green Hornet because it uses a biofuel made from flower seeds.
Nevada has an incredible opportunity to make a difference. The state is positioned to develop solar, geothermal and wind energy. These clean sources of energy help the environment and America by lessening dependence on imported oil and energy that pollutes the earth.
The question is whether the political will exists to make renewable energy a priority. Since the beginning of Earth Day, there has been criticism, largely from the far right in the Republican Party, of an alleged “liberal” agenda. But the environment shouldn’t be a partisan issue. Republicans, for instance, can choke on polluted air just as easily as Democrats. Clean water and air affect everyone, no matter what one’s political leanings are. Conserving energy, recycling and using better and renewable fuels makes economic sense as well as helps the environment.
Consider that turning off the lights when you leave a room, notching up the thermostat a few degrees and combining errands to make fewer trips in the car can all curb energy bills and affect production of carbon dioxide.
The nation should be celebrating Earth Day today. This is a time to acknowledge the strides America has made and encourage good stewardship of the resources we have inherited so we make the best use of them. If we do it right, we can leave the world a better place than we found it.
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Wait a minute, aren't earth day participants disproportionately white? Shouldn't we be suspicious?
If we are ambitious about leaving the planet better than we inherited it as children we can do this with focus and goodwill.
If we have no interest in this, we are usually called republicans.
Here are some good ideas we can do in our own lives.
Get a stainless steel water bottle or two and cut out the throw away plastic water bottles. I use Kleen Kanteens and have stopped 95% of my plastic bottle usage. We go to the local water store and buy about 65 gallons of water in 13 5 gallon jugs per month. Good exercise and great water.
We buy local as much as possible too. We believe in helping money stay in the local banks and local neighborhoods. Usually a lot less environmental stress doing it this way, and the smiles are priceless.
I would take the bus once a week. When people see that well dressed people are riders they seem to behave better, plus it shows you what the constant negative posters here forget. A lot of very nice people work really hard for very little. It would do them all some good to go sit with and observe hard working people.
These few suggestions are a start to what others can post here about what else we can do. Any other ideas?
here's a solution also. Buy all the beer you can cause we don't want children of the future to drink this. So when you are drinking that beer just say to yourself " It's for the children"
When we achieve zero or negative population growth in the US, then I'll start worrying about recycling.
If all you hypocrites would actually deal with the real source of the problem, all this carbon footprint, seperating recycleables nonsense would be a thing of the past.
Stop spawning multiple children, and at some point our resources will match or exceed our population.
how about being upfront and calling earth day what it really is: human hatred day?
how about turning all your lights and crawling back into a cave?
this is insanity! i am a vegetarian and i use 10% of the natural resources then all of you carnivores, but I still love living and I love humanity.
I am going to do my part on earth day by frying up some of those polluting, fowl chickens.
Thank Capitalism, not government http://www.cato.org/pub_display.php?pub_...
It is very sad that Las Vegas based talk show host Jerry Bolyes, goes on an anti-environmentalist tirade on earth-day. He says he is going to drive his ultra polluting vehicles 50 miles to buy a pack of cigarettes.
There is one very simple way to reduce emmissions and reduce our oil dependancy: Drill for the additiona several trillion cubic feet of natural gas in the gulf of Mexico and convert all cars in the US to natural gas. Natural gas burns clearer than just about anytihg else we currently use and if this is done we will need less electric power generation, using coal and other pollutants, in the future to run all of the electric cars which will hit the market. If you think your cars will run poorly and not perform up to standard on natural gas, why not test drive a Vegas taxi which already use this fuel. It will also be very easy to make natural gas filling stations as most houses already use natural gas and thus a simple and inexpensive "gas refilling outlet" can easily be added to your house.
If the government was serious about the enviroment this would have been done already, and would have required all state and government vehicles use natural gas a energy source exclusively by now. I guess it is too much work or maybe they are afraid of losing campaign contributions and the tax revenues we pay on each gallon of gas we buy, whcih is spent on anything but what it is meant for.
What I find in my travels is those who have children and grandchildren are the worst when it comes to saving the earth for future generations. They don't recycle, don't conserve and live as if they are the only ones who matter. When I kick, it will be the end of the line as I chose to be earth savvy years ago to help save the earth for you and your spawn who could care less because you weren't taught right. My time is limited, but your spawn have to live with your idiocy. So be it. Even in death, my carcass will be doing something good for future generations by organ donation and letting the body farm study whatever they study, I won't get into it here. But, I know I'll have done the best I could to help future generations, whether they appreciate it or not. I won't care at that point, 'cuz I'll be dead! At least I tried to do something good for future generations, even if they are not my genetic line. Too bad others can't do the same for those who come after themselves and whom they claim to love.
Boyles is a very important person, he used command a cardboard spaceship in Hollywood.
Cato was a pedophile.
Hey Jeff - regarding "If we are ambitious about leaving the planet better than we inherited it as children we can do this with focus and goodwill.
If we have no interest in this, we are usually called republicans."
I'm wondering if you have any comment about Al Gore (a democrat, and a professional hypocrite) whose carbon footprint is HUGE.