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Forget about Earth Day

That's right.  Forget about Earth Day.  Well....that's not exactly what I mean to say.  What I mean to say is don't forget about the other 364 non-Earth Days.  Actually, what I really would like to do is change the name of Earth Day to "Sustainability Day".  And then, after my re-branding campaign, I would like to stretch  "Sustainability Day" to "Sustainability Year  Era".  As in, "The Sustainability Era was one of the greatest time periods in human history".  What comes after Sustainability Era?   Well, either the downfall of man or Sustainability just becomes ingrained in human nature that we no longer need to define a day/year/Era  time period that we need to act a certain way.  We just act sustainably in our everyday actions because it makes us and society happier to do so.

It's not that Earth Day is a bad thing.  In fact, it's great to have school children focusing on the perils the Earth faces.  But does it really accomplish all that much? Do you think the Earth is really thankful for the one day that a select few decide to put up some posters while the other 5.99 billion people go on living their daily lives with a apathetic approach to the Earth?

I'm not being cynical for the purpose of tearing down Earth Day; I'm trying to build up the other 364 days.  And not just with a focus on the Earth but a focus on Sustainability.  You see, Earth Day encourages people to think about the Rainforest; while we really need to be thinking about the Rainforest AND the people living in the Rainforest AND all the services that flow out of the Rainforest AND.....

Earth Day forces us to focus on one part of the system: the Earth.  But what about the people that live on the Earth?  You can't "Save the Rainforest" without convincing the farmers who live there that there are better ways to make a living off the land than just cutting down all the trees and planting their crop.  We need to incorporate a complete systematic way of thinking that looks to enrich the lives of all things (humans, animals, plants, etc.) on this planet.  You can't save the Earth without saving all the people (well you can, just remove all the people, but that's a very cynical and non-sustainable approach).

Living sustainably means doing your part to take care of the Earth, but it also means doing your part to improve yourself (eating right, exercising, living happier), your family (improving their education, their health, and their happiness), and your local/global community (making those around you happier).

So in honor of Earth Sustainability Day Era I would like to ask: What are you doing to try and live a more sustainable life to enrich yourself, your family, and community.  I'd love to see some comments below (pretty please, if even for this one day)?

I'll go first.

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Comments

Chris -- I just finished reading a repost of a piece by Climate Progress's Joe Romm which says a better name for Earth Day is "Triage Day". He says the Earth will be fine, but the best we people can do is mitigate the mess. Unless we get really, really mad. So I am not going to replace a light bulb today. Today, I am going to get angry. (Which as you know, is not my normal MO). Tom
My plan is to show people that incorporating sustainable living in their everyday lives (mostly with energy/water conservation on Mapawatt Blog) will make them happier. Saving energy and water not only makes you happier to know your helping out your local communities, but it also puts money in your pocket so you can spend that on things that will make you and your family happier. Volunteering, taking part in the local food movement, exercising by yourself or with others, helping out your neighbors, etc, are all parts of living sustainably. It's simple and it makes you happier. What's not to love?

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