Another season is in full swing and each day seems a good excuse to celebrate the re-awakening of earth – in spite of the human propensity to subdue it into a permanent drug induced coma. Earth Day has become one of those celebratory moments that seems almost routine and expected, but for those of us of a certain generation the first Earth Day was a transcendent moment (albeit without the facebook hype) that defined our concept of humanity, chosing to live as harmoniously with our only home, rather than to treat it like a bank account. It was the environmentalism of those youthful years that led us to working and making a living from the land. At the time the Green Revolution was in full swing and the rampant use of chemicals without thought of consequences was the orthodoxy. How could all these really smart people from DuPont and Monsanto possibly be wrong about how their products affected the environment, causing the near extinction of even our national symbol – the bald eagle? We challenged that orthodoxy in the face of ridicule, and to some extent we still do from the remnants of toxic dinosaurs. So it was with some satisfaction that I watched a bald eagle fly not twenty feet from my head the other day as I worked in the field. It was a simple culminating moment that no words could describe, vindicating our choices for the past thirty five years. We weren’t just on the right side of history, we made history with hard work and the determination of youthful idealism. In the end, we have proven that living with the earth as opposed to merely existing on it is the most sensible way to survive and thrive. And to the remaining troglodytes whose knickers are still in a twist over environmental regulation I would suggest planning your next vacation in Beijing, where the full glory of nineteenth century industrialism is on full display. Just remember to bring your oxygen tank.
Another season is in full swing and each day seems a good excuse to celebrate the re-awakening of earth – in spite of the human propensity to subdue it into a permanent drug induced coma. Earth Day has become one of those celebratory moments that seems almost routine and expected, but for those of us of a certain generation the first Earth Day was a transcendent moment (albeit without the facebook hype) that defined our concept of humanity, chosing to live as harmoniously with our only home, rather than to treat it like a bank account. It was the environmentalism of those youthful years that led us to working and making a living from the land. At the time the Green Revolution was in full swing and the rampant use of chemicals without thought of consequences was the orthodoxy. How could all these really smart people from DuPont and Monsanto possibly be wrong about how their products affected the environment, causing the near extinction of even our national symbol – the bald eagle? We challenged that orthodoxy in the face of ridicule, and to some extent we still do from the remnants of toxic dinosaurs. So it was with some satisfaction that I watched a bald eagle fly not twenty feet from my head the other day as I worked in the field. It was a simple culminating moment that no words could describe, vindicating our choices for the past thirty five years. We weren’t just on the right side of history, we made history with hard work and the determination of youthful idealism. In the end, we have proven that living with the earth as opposed to merely existing on it is the most sensible way to survive and thrive. And to the remaining troglodytes whose knickers are still in a twist over environmental regulation I would suggest planning your next vacation in Beijing, where the full glory of nineteenth century industrialism is on full display. Just remember to bring your oxygen tank.
