mercoledì 22 aprile 2009

Earth Day 2009: a good initiative but...

Today the Earth Day 2009 is celebrated worldwide to make public opinion, politicians and economic agents more aware about the critical environmental condition of our planet.

There are many initiatives everywhere: in Italy the great concert in Rome is focussing major attention but even in small towns and villages many manifestations and events are scheduled often involving schools and children usually more sensitive to envrionmental issues.

Focuses of the Earth Day 2009 are in particular:
  • a zero-emission future
  • massive shift toward renewable energy
  • development of a new economy based on sustainabiliy
More info about the Earth day 2009 can be found here
Info about the Earth Day network can be found here

These initiatives are extremely interesting, positive and useful, but...

But...

What I notice around me is still quite discouraging.

I've got to say that through the blogs I usually see everyday I have found so many people showing everyday great committment and efforts on many levels: enviromental, social, economic, educational levels. Probably without their efforts and committment our present, in particular here in Italy, might be definitively worse.

My impression is that, after the today's celebrations, tomorrow everything will turn as usual with the usual cynicism and indifference. I'm not talking about politics because our politicians are worried about environmental issues only during voting campaigns: after that environment is forgotten in order not to irritate the susceptibility of certain powerful elites. Environment has not a political power but rather an ethic power and our politicians look at ethics as a ballast.

I'm particularly worried about the cynicism of common people based on the "not in my backyard" principle. Today we all express our best intentions but tomorrow everything will be the same as usual.

Earth environmental conditions are surely determined by severe pollution causes (industries, fires, chemical agriculture, energy, etc.) but also in everyday common small praxes and habits the problem may be hidden.

What will remain of the Earth Day 2009 tomorrow for those going to the supermarket with a no-use and giant SUV consuming oil and polluting as an aircraft carrier?
What will remain of the Earth Day 2009 tomorrow for those going for picnics in woods or in the countryside leaving behind them only dumps?
What will remain of the Earth Day 2009 tomorrow for many local politicians, always regularly rewarded at every poll, selling our territories to speculators continuosly degrading local environmental resources?
What will remain of the Earth Day 2009 tomorrow ...?
What will remain of the Earth Day 2009 tomorrow ...?

After the hypocrisy we can show today, maybe we should think about the fact that the Earth Day begins today but it will continue tomorrow for other 364 days.

Everyday is an Earth Day.

Do not forget it...


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