On April 22, 1970, twenty million Americans coast-to-coast took to the streets, parks, and auditoriums to demonstrate for a healthier, more sustainable environment.

It was the first Earth Day, a momentous movement that galvanized groups that had been isolated in their fight against pollution the loss of nature, achieving bipartisan and nondenominational support from rich and poor, city dwellers and farmers, CEOs and labor leaders alike.

It also led to the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency and the passage of the Clean Air, Clean Water, and Endangered Species Acts.

Flash forward 51 years. Environmental awareness continues to grow, but humans are still in denial about how we affect our planet. We are splintered on the causes of global warming. And we are often paralyzed by our deep-rooted divisions and our feelings of helplessness.

Earth Day 2021 is Thursday, April 22. It’s the perfect excuse to come together again, to join others who are making big changes, and to firm our commitment to taking greener steps:

        • Hold fast to your 4 Rs – Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, and Rot (compost)
        • Teach your kids a thing or two about being green. After all, they’re our ambassadors to the future…and the future looks green!
        • Celebrate the day with local, global, and/or virtual activities

Right now, this beautiful, unique, life-sustaining marble of a planet is our only home.

True, Nasa is searching for earth-like planets and SpaceX is determined to send us all to Mars.

Colonizing another planet could be cool, but isn’t it better just to stick around and take care of the one we’re on?