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Tomorrow is Earth Day. The 30th anniversary celebration is expected to include 500 million
people in 180 countries, not bad for a grassroots movement that began in 1970 with a string of
demonstrations and impromptu gatherings across the country. It’s grown, but its message
remains the same: There’s only one spaceship Earth, so we gotta protect it.
Tomorrow’s rallying cry is clean energy, meaning phasing out our dependency on fossil fuel
in favor of renewable energy such as wind and solar power. According to goals outlined in the
Earth Day 2000 Clean Energy Agenda, one-third of the nation’s energy should come from clean
sources by 2020. That’s a tall order, but Earth Day has a way of getting results by
catapulting environmental issues onto the national and world stage. Back in 1970, for example,
Earth Day founders had a lofty vision: the establishment of the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency, and passage of an aggressive Clean Air Act. Mission accomplished. Today these institutions
form the backbone of the nation’s environmental protection efforts.
So how can you get involved? In the United States, most major cities and thousands of smaller
towns will host an event. The flagship celebration will take place on the Mall in Washington,
D.C. It’ll feature Leonardo DiCaprio, music performed on a stage powered by renewable
resources, and hundreds of interactive booths and exhibits. And as the name implies, it’s a
global event. Warsaw, London, Mexico City, Tokyo, Tel Aviv, and hundreds of other cities around
the world are joining in on the fun. So jump on your bike, take public transit, or walk down to
the nearest green celebration.
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