Parent Power, Political Absence and Global Warming

Sadly, Earth Day fell on a school vacation week in New England when so many educators would no doubt have seized the chance to enlighten students. Parents have an even greater responsibility to teach our children about the environment and respecting it – sharing a little FUD when needed. It's future generations who will endure most natural disasters and disease, the increase in asthma, the dangers of beach days, and more.

Want some good news on a very micro level? I hosted a play date at our house yesterday with a family who also couldn't afford to take off for the week. The mother of three told me they wanted to do something extra to recognize Earth Day, but weren’t sure what. We collectively decided to keep the lights off until night and to plant either a bush or small tree - per kid - in honor of the oxygen they provide that helps us breathe. We planted two bushes and oodles of Lupines at my house. Glee!

Contrary to comments from my pessimistic ten-year old daughter, who says that one person’s vote doesn’t matter and that one person’s frugality with electricity is irrelevant, I do believe that small strides collectively make a difference. My sidekick 7-year old agrees. We must believe that or nada will ever change.

At a macro level, I remain super discouraged. There is an absence of focus on strategies toward a sustainable future at the political level. Dems included. Why, oh why, haven’t the folks running the debates – or candidates themselves – made climate change and conservation a key topic? I’d personally put it at the top of the list. Yes, education, the economy and current foreign policy (e.g. waste of human life and precious U.S. dollars that is “Iraq”) are toppers for me personally, but aren’t these issues irrelevant long term if the planet is an inferno? Global warming, by virtue of logic alone, transcends political parties. Face it … your tax bracket and breaks are irrelevant if you can’t safely venture outside and live your life.

Since the vast majority of Americans maintain their “what’s in it for me?” psyche, procrastinating on any degree of lifestyle sacrifice and mustering the dollars to fuel massive SUVs, it’s up to legislative government at the Federal and state levels to mandate consumer (my little family included) and business policies that better protect our planet. Please, please, please make strides to on every day, not just Earth Day, to conserve inside and out of your home. Urge your elected representatives to take daring and critical strides to make life sustainable for generations to come. Telecommute and carpool when possible. Drink tap water.

If you’re looking for ideas that make a difference, join my team on Carbonrally and see the amount of CO2 you’ll save with each challenge you accept. http://www.carbonrally.com/teams/138#posts
Think globally, act locally - and adapt personally

The Earth Day 2008 Let Down

Earth Day 2008 came and went. ONE day a year when we should all pause to admire and respect the Earth we so casually abuse day after day. It appears, however, that while we all know Earth Day should be more important than ever, it remains one day and is no more recognized than 10 years ago. I'll share a handful of examples contributing to my discouraged take.

I got an e-mail from the CEO of Carbonrally today. He was in downtown Boston handing out posters and flyers and reported how depressing it was that there was so little activity in honor of Mother Earth today. What a shame, particularly for such an academically charged and educated city of professionals.

I recently chaperoned a fourth-grade field trip to the Blue Hills Observatory in Canton, MA. It’s the oldest working weather tracking station in the U.S. and is considered the U.S. benchmark on global warming since they have been tracking weather patterns daily for 130 years. As we looked out miles ahead through clear skies toward Boston Harbor, I asked the head climatologist there whether he too thought that the state of FL would actually be under water in 100 years. He responded “maybe not the whole state, but most of it is only 15 feet above sea level, so a good portion will be under water, perhaps before then. We are averaging 3 degrees warmer. It’s a problem.”

As a PR person, I'm privy to many “call for sources” that reporters send out. The volume around Earth Day 2008 in recent weeks could absolutely have been higher. My efforts to pitch a world renowned climate expert, Dr. Deborah Brosnan, for comment about the impact of natural disasters (now 3x more common) on people and ecoystems, also fell on deaf ears. http://www.sei.org/ I have no doubt that journalists take the issue seriously, but it remains unpopular. The U.S. media are of a pack mentality - thus why Britney Spears continues to trump Iraq and the Pope's visit was widely covered for a week. The "sustainable future" is an annoying concept that many readers and viewers decline to acknowledge. It’s uber real though. We all know it.

Here's to Earth Year 2009. Let's hope elected officials, a majority of concientious businesses, many more consumers - and certainly mainstream media, give a much better showing next year. The climate clock is ticking.