Earth Day

Once again it is Earth Day. Since 1970 we have celebrated Earth Day on April 22nd as a way to draw attention to environmental issues facing us. But I wonder if the idea of “Love Your Mother,” has us looking at this the wrong way. The planet may survive… but humans and most other life forms may no longer inhabit it. We’re the ones at risk. In 1970, the year of the first Earth Day, emissions from fossil fuels and industry put 14.9 Billion tons of carbon in the atmosphere. By 2021, that number had risen to 37.12. There are glimmers of hope, however. You may remember that during the pandemic skies that were normally choked with pollution cleared, and emissions did in fact, drop by more than 5%. I have been most surprised to learn that since 2007 US emissions have dropped by more than 18%. Now, we’re still one of the largest per capita emitters, so it’s too early to declare victory but Americans are a competitive bunch so let’s challenge ourselves to set a personal record (PR) every year. In 2021 we emitted 5.01 billion tons. In 1970, the year of the first Earth Day, we emitted 4.34 billion tons. Getting back to that level would be a 13.4% improvement. How fast can we get there? 5 years? This Earth Day 2023, let’s each find one thing we can do – adjust the thermostat by 1 degree, drive a bit less, plant trees, whatever works for you. And let’s check back with each other every year to celebrate our progress. We’ve got this.

More later…