EarthDay 2009; A carbon copy of the past 20 years!

Well, it's Earth Day again and we're still burning stuff to make stuff move. Back in the late 80s, I was hopeful that finally we would start seeing distributed clean solar energy production on millions of roof tops in North America. Twenty years later PV is still a novelty in most neighbourhoods. In the early nineties, I thought we'd see electric commuter cars, powered at least partially by renewable energy, in most driveways within a decade, replacing the stupid SUVs that proliferated during those years of greed. Yet, in 2009, Virtually nobody (only hundreds of motorists out of billions of humans) has even driven, much less owned an electric vehicle.

Sadly we are slow learners. I suggest we shouldn't sit back and feel good about the little progress we've made while the well-to-do cling to their blue chip stocks in big oil, big auto, big boxes, big banks and other big lies. Let's get off our asses and do something real about the problem, or we'll face the judgement of the next generation for our complacency and complicity. So what are you supposed to do in the context of your "busy life"? First, get over yourself, then,..

Volunteer with a local business that sells renewable energy products or zero emissions vehicles. Support an action group like the Electric Auto Association or Plug-in America or an environmental initiative in your area!

Invest in the innovative entrepreneurs who have traded plush careers in "the economy of the status quo" for the pursuit of a worthy (even if not yet profitable) cause! Start-up ventures need wise investors and patient money, not greedy self interested dragons who just want to suck the life out of the next big idea.

Get a Plug-in electric car! Step away from the luxury "self parking" sedan and buy a car that can run on electric power. Can't find one at the dealership? Buy a used Prius then have it converted to a Plug-in Hybrid! or,..

Convert your existing car to electric drive. Have the internal combustion engine of your car replaced with an electric motor! (If you can make it work for you; drive less, take public transit and cycle. This will take your impact out of the equation but not everyone can make those choices without great daily hardship. Other choices need to be pushed forward too.)

Buy and promote renewable energy systems. Put a solar thermal water heater and/or solar electric system on the roof of your home and/or business! Put up a wind turbine, heck put up several and form a clean energy coop with your rural neighbours!

If you have done some of these things, thanks, (we aren't talking to you) and keep up the great work.

The core of our environmental problems is our own thoughtless, wasteful use of energy and materials. Changing your light bulbs and recycling your newspapers is good but not nearly enough. Speak up, show up and green up!! (or shut up and don't block the light by which others work to make the shift for us.) The time for bickering, grandstanding, gold bricking, plagiarizing and competing for the big prize in the green rush is over. That's the old school way. Time to move on to collaboration. Don't just ask; "How can I look good and save my money?". Ask how you can help others save a planet! This one. If you think we have lots of time to sit around and discuss this, you're wrong. If you think this is important, you have more to offer than you may realize and someone could use your help. Tell us about 3 "green" businesses or groups that you think deserve grass roots support. Maybe we can put up a blogsite to match these enviro-champs with support from enviro-activists.

The lease is nearly up and Mother Earth wants her stuff back. Don't risk losing your children's security deposit.