The First Earth Day Changed the World. Here’s What We Can Learn from It.

| April 29, 2022 | Leave a Comment

Item Link: Access the Resource

Date of Publication: April 22

Year of Publication: 2022

Publication City: Boulder, CO

Publisher: Outside Interactive

Author(s): Heather Hansman

We asked one of the original Earth Day organizers for ideas on how to bring back urgency to the movement during a moment that’s more dire than ever.

Perhaps you, like me, have been getting flooded by Earth Day ads. There is so much you can do to save the planet, they scream. Pay money to plant a tree! Come to a Zoom meet and greet with tech bros who are making sustainable apps! Watch Nascar drivers race a supposedly carbon-neutral car! Buy a sustainable cooler to carry your reusable wine tote for your zero-waste picnic in the park! Once you’re there, you can grill with new, sustainable charcoal and eat new, sustainable peanut butter! You didn’t forget to wear your eco-friendly socks, did you?

It feels like a parody, underscoring just how performative Earth Day has become right when we need meaningful action.

Read the full article here.

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