Every Day is Earth Day
April 23, 2011 Leave a comment
Cross-posted from The Green Suits:
Every year, something new gets planted. One year it was a spindly cherry tree. That tree has since grown large and blossom(y). Photo © 2011 by Dan Smolen.
On April 22, 1970 a bunch of people–outraged by the huge offshore oil spill near Catalina Island off of the Southern California coast and other ecological crises of the era–celebrated the first Earth Day. Back then as a Third Grader, I learned how we Earthlings treated the Big Blue Marble like a giant landfill.
Few can argue that Earth Day Number 1 was a big wake up call to many Americans, young and old. In the forty-one years that have passed, much has been done by government and industry to make our nation a cleaner less toxic place. For instance: lead has been removed from our fuel and paint; many pesticides have been banned; and organized recycling has helped us use fewer natural resources, (more) wisely.
In 1970, the New York City skyline was shrouded in thick gray smog. In 2011, that same skyline is often crystal clear. And yet with so much progress made, we still pollute heavily and use our natural resources poorly.
The Green Suits get that. We want to do well, but we also want to do right to make the world a better place. So, why do we Green Suits celebrate Earth Day but once a year?
I say let us make every day Earth Day.
The Green Suits are ambassadors for sustainability and corporate social responsibility. But we also walk the walk.
And as I point out in Tailoring the Green Suit: Empowering Yourself for an Executive Career in the New Green Economy, there is much that we can do to “press” the case for a cleaner, greener planet:
- Ditch the bottled water in favor of filtered tap water;
- Cut down on our dry cleaning;
- Favor mass transit;
- Use materials at work made from recycled content;
- Promote carbon footprint-reduction at home and work;
- Don’t over-fertilize the lawn. And don’t water it during hot summer months–let it turn brown;
- Take the stairs instead of the elevator;
- Clean up after your pet;
- Run your washer on cold water, and;
- And, never pass up an opportunity for a teachable moment. At my home, we plant something new each year; several years ago, it was a spindly cherry tree. As you can see, that tree has grown large and blossom(y).
And while you are at it, check out the great information and educational resources available at EarthDay.org.
Mother Earth will thank you for it!
Prefer e-book readers? Download Tailoring the Green Suit to your Kindle or Nook devices, today!
By the way, do you know someone about to graduate college who is eager to embark on a green career? Set them on course to become The Green Suit. Order them a paperback copy of Tailoring the Green Suit: Empowering Yourself for an Executive Career in the New Green Economy, from Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble. You can also buy them the digital version of Tailoring the Green Suit–available now for Kindle and Nook devices!
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