35 Years, & What Have We Learned?
Today is the 35th anniversary of the first Earth Day. While I wasn't really all that conscious of what was going on on that first Earth Day, I was definitely around for the 10th anniversary, and I fully participated in the 20th. In 1990, I was at Gallaudet, and although I bounced around from clique to clique, I was definitely hanging out with a rather eclectic bunch at the time. One particular group was very politically aware and eco-savvy, and I joined them in posting notices around D.C. about the impending 20th anniversary festivities. We all decided to go together early in the morning of April 22, 1990, and head to the Lincoln Memorial for the Dawn Patrol, which was the opening ceremony of a rather long day.
We arrived in the wee hours, when the entire city was dark and empty, save for the streetlights, and we wandered over to the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. D.C. is a magic city in its own way, and I've been down to the National Mall many, many times at different times of the day, but this was one of the few times I've been there at that time. A small crowd gathered; maybe a couple hundred people, if that. We sat there and waited. Finally, just as the sky started to get a bit greyish and the air shifted subtly, the way it does when the hours are set in motion, beckoning the sunrise, a small passel of riders approached. They were Indians, Native Americans ready to help us welcome the dawn, a new day on Earth. We lucked out, as there was a volunteer interpreter on hand, who turned out to be my old friend JCI, from high school. He was at the time attending Georgetown, although he and I had our own lives by that time and hadn't gotten together as often as we would have liked. I know it was politically symbolic and all that, but I felt honored by the presence of the Indians, and excited about participating in the event.
After the prayers, the group slowly followed the riders, who led us down the side of the pool, past where the Korean War Memorial now stands, and down the length of the water, past where the WWII Memorial was just set up (thinking back on this, a lot of changes in just fifteen years!), and towards the Washington Monument. Somewhere on the hillside to the west of the Monument, there were photographers documenting the event. The next day I saw myself inside the Washington Times, in their Metro section. I don't think I saved a copy of this; I should try to make a xerox next time I'm in D.C.
We continued to make our way until we had reached the Capitol Steps, and here more and more people joined us. Finally, the Dawn Patrol ended, and that was it for the time being.
We were all exhausted, having stayed up the better part of a night, and so we went over to Roy Rogers, next to the Phoenix Park Hotel (RR isn't there anymore, although the Hotel still is, catercorner from Union Station), to grab something to eat. I remember this breakfast rather vividly (you too, P.! *grin*). Afterwards, we went back to the Capitol, where more people had showed up, including a larger contingent from Gally, and we listened to the speeches, the music, and celebrated the welfare of our planet.
Now it's fifteen years later; I pretty much wrote what I think of the current state of affairs a couple weeks ago, and again here, so I don't have a whole lot to add to that from a personal perspective. I didn't attend any events today, but I still remain concerned about what's going to happen to all of us. The environmental movement is too, if this article is any indication. I do agree that the unfair perception of "tree huggers" and "extremists" needs to be changed, and that people need to be encouraged to become more concerned about everyone's ultimate home, not just the McMansions and homogenized communities they live in. I wrote recently about the sex site that donates its profits to environmental causes, and while that's a bit extreme in a way, it's definitely a step in the right direction.
I do disagree about how the groups function and operate. I think the essential problem is that the right wing in this country has, for its own selfish, short-sighted (read: ENERGY & THE MONEY THAT COMES WITH IT) reasons, demonized environmental issues in the name of capitalism, states' rights, and property rights. This smearing, combined with the Corporate Media and its fawning agenda of pretending to be "objective" instead of serving the public good, has culminated in a public relations disaster. If people aren't properly educated, then it's difficult to muster public opinion towards preserving and saving the only home we have. What is needed is to find those hidden PR whizzes who sympathize enough to join in and create a fantastic campaign to educate the public and counter the years and years of selfish idiots who insist that we don't need parks, forests, animals, clean water, clean air, and reserves for swamps, wetlands, and farmland. The message has to be simple, consistent, and above all, persuasive.
Lately there's been a lot in the news about the perils we face with global warming, but despite the information about the changes taking place that are now out there, people seem to be saying the same thing they did about events like Rwanda: "Oh, my god, that's terrible!" and then going back to whatever they were doing before. I worry that people won't really "get it" until it's right on top of us, and there are water shortages, increased air problems, threats of famine, and similar catastrophes right in front of everyone's noses. Of course, by then, it may be too late.
I'd say the first thing is that all the pro-environmental groups need to join together in a coalition and concentrate on, say, one or two key issues/messages. Second, as I just said above, a succinct, persuasive message needs to be crafted and marketed. Third, just as in politics, keep it local, local, local. Sadly, people's eyes glaze over if you complicate what you're saying, but if it's something that will affect their pocketbook or the actual community they live in, boing! You've got LIVE people suddenly paying attention and ready to be receptive. By working with local environmental issues and then linking those to regional/statewide topics, a web can be developed to encompass the larger, global issues (such as global warming!). It's easier to understand the big stuff when you can see the connections with everyday daily life.
Let's hope that by the 40th anniversary, things have improved. I know one thing for sure: we'll have a different administration, hopefully one that will be more receptive to responses such as the Kyoto Treaty, and more willing to accept and act on the fact that there's plenty of evidence already in, and global warming is here, like it or not.
We arrived in the wee hours, when the entire city was dark and empty, save for the streetlights, and we wandered over to the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. D.C. is a magic city in its own way, and I've been down to the National Mall many, many times at different times of the day, but this was one of the few times I've been there at that time. A small crowd gathered; maybe a couple hundred people, if that. We sat there and waited. Finally, just as the sky started to get a bit greyish and the air shifted subtly, the way it does when the hours are set in motion, beckoning the sunrise, a small passel of riders approached. They were Indians, Native Americans ready to help us welcome the dawn, a new day on Earth. We lucked out, as there was a volunteer interpreter on hand, who turned out to be my old friend JCI, from high school. He was at the time attending Georgetown, although he and I had our own lives by that time and hadn't gotten together as often as we would have liked. I know it was politically symbolic and all that, but I felt honored by the presence of the Indians, and excited about participating in the event.
After the prayers, the group slowly followed the riders, who led us down the side of the pool, past where the Korean War Memorial now stands, and down the length of the water, past where the WWII Memorial was just set up (thinking back on this, a lot of changes in just fifteen years!), and towards the Washington Monument. Somewhere on the hillside to the west of the Monument, there were photographers documenting the event. The next day I saw myself inside the Washington Times, in their Metro section. I don't think I saved a copy of this; I should try to make a xerox next time I'm in D.C.
We continued to make our way until we had reached the Capitol Steps, and here more and more people joined us. Finally, the Dawn Patrol ended, and that was it for the time being.
We were all exhausted, having stayed up the better part of a night, and so we went over to Roy Rogers, next to the Phoenix Park Hotel (RR isn't there anymore, although the Hotel still is, catercorner from Union Station), to grab something to eat. I remember this breakfast rather vividly (you too, P.! *grin*). Afterwards, we went back to the Capitol, where more people had showed up, including a larger contingent from Gally, and we listened to the speeches, the music, and celebrated the welfare of our planet.
Now it's fifteen years later; I pretty much wrote what I think of the current state of affairs a couple weeks ago, and again here, so I don't have a whole lot to add to that from a personal perspective. I didn't attend any events today, but I still remain concerned about what's going to happen to all of us. The environmental movement is too, if this article is any indication. I do agree that the unfair perception of "tree huggers" and "extremists" needs to be changed, and that people need to be encouraged to become more concerned about everyone's ultimate home, not just the McMansions and homogenized communities they live in. I wrote recently about the sex site that donates its profits to environmental causes, and while that's a bit extreme in a way, it's definitely a step in the right direction.
I do disagree about how the groups function and operate. I think the essential problem is that the right wing in this country has, for its own selfish, short-sighted (read: ENERGY & THE MONEY THAT COMES WITH IT) reasons, demonized environmental issues in the name of capitalism, states' rights, and property rights. This smearing, combined with the Corporate Media and its fawning agenda of pretending to be "objective" instead of serving the public good, has culminated in a public relations disaster. If people aren't properly educated, then it's difficult to muster public opinion towards preserving and saving the only home we have. What is needed is to find those hidden PR whizzes who sympathize enough to join in and create a fantastic campaign to educate the public and counter the years and years of selfish idiots who insist that we don't need parks, forests, animals, clean water, clean air, and reserves for swamps, wetlands, and farmland. The message has to be simple, consistent, and above all, persuasive.
Lately there's been a lot in the news about the perils we face with global warming, but despite the information about the changes taking place that are now out there, people seem to be saying the same thing they did about events like Rwanda: "Oh, my god, that's terrible!" and then going back to whatever they were doing before. I worry that people won't really "get it" until it's right on top of us, and there are water shortages, increased air problems, threats of famine, and similar catastrophes right in front of everyone's noses. Of course, by then, it may be too late.
I'd say the first thing is that all the pro-environmental groups need to join together in a coalition and concentrate on, say, one or two key issues/messages. Second, as I just said above, a succinct, persuasive message needs to be crafted and marketed. Third, just as in politics, keep it local, local, local. Sadly, people's eyes glaze over if you complicate what you're saying, but if it's something that will affect their pocketbook or the actual community they live in, boing! You've got LIVE people suddenly paying attention and ready to be receptive. By working with local environmental issues and then linking those to regional/statewide topics, a web can be developed to encompass the larger, global issues (such as global warming!). It's easier to understand the big stuff when you can see the connections with everyday daily life.
Let's hope that by the 40th anniversary, things have improved. I know one thing for sure: we'll have a different administration, hopefully one that will be more receptive to responses such as the Kyoto Treaty, and more willing to accept and act on the fact that there's plenty of evidence already in, and global warming is here, like it or not.
posted by Mr. Sandman | 8:00 PM
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