Fun with Earth Day

What’s better than two notoriously loud-mouthed, spotlight-craving politicians from opposing parties forced to sit beside each other on a beach and handed a hot debate topic?  While I personally would be happy with the two hotheads, in this case Al Sharpton and Pat Robertson, being swept out to sea and drowned to death by a sleeper wave, a recent commercial featuring the pair provides a breath of fresh air: the two actually agreeing.  Just in time for Earth Day, this commercial—brainchild of Al Gore, another politician I previously wished to be rid of by way of freak natural disaster—stars the religious odd-couple setting aside their very different views to promote environmental awareness.  While Robertson’s evangelical hate-spewing and Sharpton’s incessant attention mongering have made my patience for either gentleman’s message wane, it’s nice to see the two clowns drop their agendas and get something done.  And while the college crowd might have been focused on another counterculture holiday this past weekend, I’m hoping young people saw through the dense clouds of smoke to catch a pretty important message on their television screens.  Earth day is this Tuesday, so let’s ditch the arguments and opinions and think about something we can all unite in support of: the environment (except for Pennsylvanians; you have to stay bitter and divisive for one more day).

            According to our infallible friends at Wikipedia, Earth Day was founded in 1969 by John McConnell as a yearly event to educate students about the environment.   The event was assigned to its April 22^nd date by Senator Gaylord Nelson, who organized 1970’s mass march for sustainability that would propel environmental problems into the international consciousness.  Since then, Earth Day has made huge contributions in recycling, clean air, clean oceans and water, and other green concerns. 

            In the ultra-green “City of Trees,” students and faculty have plenty to do around campus as part of Earth Day at CSU, Chico (in fact, CSUC declared April “Earth Month”).  Saturday saw Eco-Fest in front of Kendall Hall, where food and live music was provided for those enjoying the informative workshops.    At 11:30 a.m. on Tuesday, a Veggie Feed will take place in the Free Speech Area, with eateries around Chico donating meat-free dishes to be sold whole-sale to hungry students.  From 1-3:00 p.m., author M.L. Cerpok Sensei will lead a “Breathe for Peace” Workshop in the BMU.  The ancient Zazen practice, as it is toted by Sensei, is “proven to reduce stress and calm the restless mind.”  Other activities put on through CSU, Chico throughout Earth Month include a Recycled Art Show, plant sale, and Green Campus presentation on “How to save money on your PG&E bill.

            Besides the obvious preservation of our planet, Earth Day has a special value this year, at least to me, that comes with its timing.  In the heat of a presidential election year that pits members of the same party against one another in an often malicious standoff, Americans need a common enemy to unite against.  Sharpton and Robertson showed us who that enemy is by sitting down next to each other and calling for greater environmental awareness.  Virtually everyone benefits from a healthy environment, whether it’s the tie-dyed, sandaled Nader enthusiast or the toothless, gun-loving Bush supporter (or, as television satirist South Park dubs the stereotypes, “Ageing Hippy Liberal Douche” and “Pissed-off White-Trash Redneck Conservative”).  The beauty of Earth Day, and Gore’s commercial, lies in its simplicity: for one day out of the year we can put aside our politically-charged disdain for our fellow Americans and acknowledge a fight that we can all benefit from.  If the country can’t pull off a unified front for even a single day, perhaps we’re doomed to bicker amongst ourselves like a multitude of Al Sharpton’s and Pat Robertson’s.  Gore, meanwhile, has gathered a host of other outspoken celebrities for commercial spots, including country-music stars Toby Keith and the Dixie Chicks.  I’ll stop praying for a lethal guitar-amplifier short-circuit in the hopes that they might actually have  something important to say.