This is for the GREEN in you

“It is the worst of times because it feels as though the very earth is being stolen from us, by us; the land and air poisoned, the water polluted, the animals disappeared, humans degraded and misguided.”
Alice Walker

Earth Day 2010 is upon us and if you are anything like me, it has you feeling a lot of different emotions. I feel grateful that Mother Earth is still here and kind enough to give us some absolutely beautiful spring days. On the other hand, I feel guilty because I don’t always take my own coffee mug to Starbucks. Wait, I guess I should feel guilty about even going to Starbucks. But back to Earth Day … this day is ripe with opportunities for each of us to sit back and think about our commitment to greening our lives.

When Earth Day started 40 years ago, the world was not that much different from the world of today. There were anti-war protests, high unemployment for people of color, and the like. But in the midst of these issues, a group of committed 20-somethings developed a grassroots campaign to bring attention to the declining health of our environment. Four decades later, the movement has grown and Earth Day events are celebrated throughout the world. The United Nations General Assembly proclaimed Thursday, April 22 International Mother Earth Day and acknowledges the need for a global commitment to the greening of our world. Locally, there are events planned throughout weekend and we could certainly use the extra time to renew our commitment and actually do something to help ease the burden that we are placing on Mother Earth.

I plan to curb my consumption, walk more, and text less. I plan to actually stop and smell the roses and take my reusable cup with me wherever I go. I also plan to think more about how the green movement will impact disadvantaged communities. For some areas, the green movement seems to be stalled. Many communities of color lack access to safe drinking water. Larger numbers of communities of color live in urban areas where city water systems are more likely to be fluoridated than in some suburban and rural water systems. Fluoridation chemicals can cause a range of health problems including premature births and learning disabilities. For more about the top environmental issues affection urban America, check out http://www.thegrio.com/news/the-top-ten-environmental-issues-affecting-america.php.

The greening of our world is a movement in which we can all participate. For the green movement to succeed, it has to be more than just a trendy cause cèlébre. The success of the green movement will depend on our collective ability to understand that environmental devastation impacts each and every one of us and sometimes that impact is felt most by those least equipped to deal with it. The earthquake in Haiti and the volcano in Iceland are two very tangible reminders of the way in which environmental instability can bring our daily lives to a screeching halt. Let’s use this moment to think about how these events impact poverty, class, and privilege.
This movement is about saving the land, but it’s also about making the land safe for all of us. This movement is about helping each other learn new ways to live efficient and productive lives. This movement is also about urging our elected officials to work on behalf of environmental justice, not corporate profit. This movement is very much about recognizing the larger scale impact of climate change, not just in Cincinnati and not just in America. On this Earth Day when we have recently lost Civil Rights icons Benjamin Hooks and Dr. Dorothy Height, let’s remember the spirit in which they fought for change and do our own part to help ourselves.

I am turning off my Blackberry and shutting down my computer. I am determined to take this day and the rest of the weekend to do my part. It’s my turn to send Mother Earth a Happy Mother’s Day card!