Earth Day Birthday

Happy 50th Birthday, Earth Day! April 22, 2020 is an Earth Day birthday like no other.  Tree huggers are totally embracing technology! 

Rather than day long celebrations and rallies, in parks and on the streets, millions upon millions of participants will use technology to gather virtually. The Earth Day Network, which describes itself as, "the world's largest recruiter to the environmental movement", with 750-thousand partners in 190 countries, says it has the collective power of, "one billion individuals mobilized for the future of the planet". One billion people in their living rooms, or seated at the kitchen table. The Earth Day Network says that while the corona virus has forced people to keep their distance, "it will not force us to keep our voices down." The environmental movement has never been silent.

In 1962, Rachel Carson's book, Silent Spring warned of the destruction of our water, soil, and air due to the use of pesticides. She raised awareness. Smog, oil spills, polluted rivers catching fire, and the American Eagle being near extinction, were reported on the evening news. Less than a decade later, the first Earth Day was held. On April 22, 1970, Americans took to the streets, arenas, and college campuses, in protest. Twenty million Americans, or, about ten percent of the US population at the time, participated in the event.

This is an Earth Day unlike any other. It's a year unlike any other! What we have witnessed in the last few weeks, is that we are coming together, while being apart. Technology has connected, and reconnected us. Earlier this month, Zoom, the online teleconferencing site, reached more than 200-million people per day, compared with 10-million daily participants in December.

Earth Day is believed to be the largest civic event in the world. This year, it will happen online. For 24 hours, the Earth Day Network, "will fill the digital landscape", with live-streamed global conversations, performances, video teach-ins, and calls to action. 

The Network says that no matter who you are, or where you live, you can make a difference. This year's theme is Climate Action. The Network says, "climate change represents the biggest challenge to the future of humanity and the life-support systems that make our world habitable".

The past few weeks of industry shutdowns, planes on tarmacs, and cars parked in driveways, has shown how dramatically the Earth heals, when given a chance. Clean air, pure water, and healthy soil, are not impossible.  

A final note...I created birthday cards for Earth Day's birthday. The images are a departure from my usual photographic style. Computer technology was used to create painterly, watercolour images from my original floral photographs...and I didn't spill any paint on the floor!

Lettuce Celebrate Earth Day!

Today marks the 47th anniversary of Earth Day.

I was going to write about the history of Earth Day...about the destructive oil spill off Santa Barbara, California in 1969 that led to a public demand for environmental protections.  Wisconsin Senator, Gaylor Nelson witnessed the damage, and together with Republican, Pete McCloskey co-chaired the first ever Earth Day in 1970.  Harvard University's Denis Hayes was the National Coordinator, mobilizing students in university campuses, many of whom were already active in the Vietnam era anti-war movement.

That first Earth Day was hailed a success, having brought together diverse political, social and economic groups, all wanting to protect the planet for future generations.  It led to the establishment of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency the following year;  and to the passing of the Clean Air, Clean Water, and Endangered Species Acts.

I was going to write about the awareness of our dependency on water for crops.  How the California drought focussed attention on the cost of eating healthy.  For vegans, vegetarians, organic foodies, and anyone who enjoys a little LT in their BLT, the drought increased their food costs substantially. So much of what we eat in North America, is grown in California.

Crops need water to grow.  A chart showing the amount of water it takes to bring crops to maturity, if only irrigated water is used (in other words no rain), was a shock.  One grape - not a cluster of grapes - just one grape needs 0.3 gallons, or 1.14 litres of water to grow.  A single strawberry, uses 0.4 gallons, or 1.5 litres of water.  One tomato - never mind a whole tomato plant - needs 3.3 gallons, or 12.49 litres of water, and one head of lettuce needs 3.5 gallons, or 13.25 litres.  One walnut needs 4.9 gallons, or 18.5 litres.  Imagine how much a water it takes to bring a walnut grove to harvest!

This may be a better year for California agriculture, and therefore for North American dinner tables.  At this time last year, more than 70 percent of the State was experiencing Extreme Drought, or worse, Exceptional Drought conditions.

This week and last week, 76.54% of California is experiencing no drought at all.  However, there are still Abnormally Dry to Moderate Drought conditions in almost one-third of the State.

I was going to write about all these things...instead, I'll tell you a true story, my favourite vegetarian joke...

Years ago, my youngest sister - who was vegetarian at the time - spent Christmas in Wales, with an Icelandic-Jamaican family.  Her friend's mother was struggling with the concept of a vegetarian diet. Her daughter said, "Mum, she eats potatoes, carrots, onions - everything that comes out of the garden".  The next day, the mother returned from the market, proudly announcing, "I got you some rabbit.  Deh come outta de groun'"!

Photographs Copyright of:  Ruth Adams, Widows Endorphins Photographic Images Incorporated.