I read an article recently about global warming and food shortages. The writer suggested the extreme weather, droughts and flooding, affecting food production was caused by global warming. I am concerned about global warming as few policies are being implemented to control fossil- fuel emissions, and preserve our natural resources. There are many pro- nuclear advocates who suggest we should eliminate green- house gasses and global warming by building more nuclear facilities. I don’t believe nuclear power is safe since the recent tragedy at Japan’s Fukushima nuclear power plant. There are alternative energy sources like solar, wind, and wave energy which don’t produce greenhouse gases or contribute to global warming. Alternative energy is not being researched or implemented, on a large scale, by the current American government. I believe our unwillingness to develop alternative energy is because of corporate greed, and our society’s lack of connection to nature. We will celebrate Earth Day in the city this Saturday. I’m looking forward to the community gathering. There will be gardening workshops, informational booths on recycling, solar cooking, facing painting, and alternative energy demonstrations. Every year, our community square, is decorated with brightly, colored flowers, and a large green mother earth statue, to celebrate mother earth. My children I enjoy attending Earth Day because it is a community event that inspires us to make positive lifestyle changes. Last year I learned how to use a solar oven. Throughout the year, I made cookies, cakes, vegetarian casseroles, and other delicacies on sunny days. Not only did I save electricity, but my family and friends enjoyed the delicious solar cooked treats.
We have celebrated Earth Day every year since the festival’s inception in the 1970’s. My grown children and their friends especially enjoy the festival’s organic gardening and composting demonstrations. I like the urban gardening and solar energy booths. The large earth day gatherings in California remind me of the free festivals, of the hippie movement, I used to attend with my parents in the 1960’s. There were free bands, balloons, anti- war literature, and brightly colored t-shirts for sale. I was 6 years old and too young to understand the anti-war movement, but the events made an impression on me.
Every year we make our annual pilgrimage to the city’s Earth Day celebration, and the rest of the year we are inspired to recycle, garden, carpool, and conserve our natural resources. Earth Day was started in the 1970’s to teach people about various environmental issues affecting the earth. I am inspired by Earth Day, and I like the idea of having a special day to celebrate nature. We need to do more than remember the earth or practice sustainable living once a year. I propose that Earth Day should occur all year around to remind people about their connection to nature. Curriculums should be established in primary and secondary schools to make children aware of the dangers of global warming and educate them on safe, environmental practices, and sustainable living. In India, the guru Ammachi initiated a campaign to clean India, and teach people about the environmental problems caused by pollution. She believes the earth is our mother, and people should live in harmony with nature. If society shared these beliefs, many of our environmental problems would be solved. Unfortunately, most of us are too involved in our lives to care about our planet’s environmental woes. By instituting a daily Earth Day celebration, we can reduce our disconnection from nature and take practical steps towards developing a sustainable future.
