Earth Day 1990 (pictures taken by Patrice Bishop)
These pictures are from an Earth Day celebration in 1990. That was 20 years ago and we are still hoping for the same changes. We are well informed of what is happening to our Earth and we have so many opportunities to make a difference. A lot has changed since 1990 and we must continue to change. The man in the gas mask called it twenty years ago and now it is worse. If we do not make some changes, our Earth will not sustain us.
It is good to look at things around us and answer two questions:
1. Where did it come from?
2. Where will it go when I am done with it?
For instance, a paper towel. It comes from a tree. It is manufactured in a factory, wrapped up in plastic, shipped all over the country and then sold to a consumer. The consumer uses the paper towel for less than 5 minutes and throws it in the trash. Then the paper towel begins its journey in a plastic trash bag. It rides in a garbage truck and ends up in a landfill. We should ask ourselves, is it worth it? We could use reusable napkins that are made one time and do not end up in a landfill.
Reusable bags have been all the rage lately. Every company is making them and most of them are pretty stylish. They are a lot more than just a fashion statement though. They are used to replace plastic bags. Plastic bags are made by the billions in a factory. Then they are used to carry your food or other purchases and then they go into a landfill with all of the other garbage in the world. Buying reusable bags are an easy way to reduce waste.
Our society needs to move towards becoming a reusable society. If we want our children and grandchildren to live in a clean, toxic free world; it's the least we can do. We need to stop our addiction to plastic and paper. Please buy reusable bags, water bottles, cloth products, etc. Think twice before you just "throw" something away. Know where it goes and know that it doesn't just disappear. Everything impacts our lives and lives of others. We need to try to make the least impact on the Earth. This concept is not new, we just need to be reminded sometimes.
"Earth Provides us Enough to Satisfy Every Man's Need, But Not Every Man's Greed" - Mahatma Gandhi
I love this! I feel so good when I take my re-usable bags to the grocery store. I know it's just one small step, but it is a big change if everyone would pitch in! Thanks for the reminder to ask important questions and THINK!
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