{"id":3785,"date":"2005-04-24T19:24:21","date_gmt":"2005-04-24T23:24:21","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.law.harvard.edu\/formerlyknownas\/2005\/04\/24\/forget-earth-day\/"},"modified":"2011-08-05T14:57:46","modified_gmt":"2011-08-05T18:57:46","slug":"forget-earth-day","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/2005\/04\/24\/forget-earth-day\/","title":{"rendered":"forget Earth Day?"},"content":{"rendered":"

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We forgot to highlight <\/FONT>Earth Day<\/FONT><\/A> on Friday, April 22 (and, yes, the gang here <\/FONT><\/DIV>
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almost forgot<\/FONT><\/A> last year, too).  The first Earth Day was 35 years ago, in <\/FONT>1970<\/FONT><\/A> <\/FONT><\/DIV>
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(I was a college junior!).  For me, Earth Day is a lot like Valentine’s or Mother’s <\/FONT><\/DIV>
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Days — not necessary, if<\/EM> you’re demonstrating your love and respect every day, <\/FONT><\/DIV>
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as you should.<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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<\/FONT> <\/DIV>
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In <\/FONT>my city<\/FONT><\/A> (scroll down to #1), and apparently <\/FONT>across the land<\/FONT><\/A>, special <\/FONT>arrangements   \"earthSG\"  <\/FONT><\/FONT><\/DIV>
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were made to encourage the proper recycling of obsolete or unwanted electronic <\/FONT><\/DIV>
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equipment.   While checking out celebrations around the net, I came upon the site <\/FONT><\/DIV>
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of the <\/FONT>Earth Day Network<\/FONT><\/A>, and de<\/FONT>cided to take its <\/FONT>Earthday Footprint Quiz<\/FONT><\/EM><\/A>,.which <\/FONT><\/DIV>
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was developed by <\/FONT>Redefining Progress<\/FONT><\/A>.org.    I <\/EM>hope f\/k\/a<\/EM>‘s visitors will  take the <\/FONT><\/DIV>
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Footprint Quiz, which is described thusly:<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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Ever wondered how much “nature” your lifestyle requires? <\/FONT><\/SPAN><\/DIV>
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You’re about to find out.<\/SPAN>

This Ecological Footprint Quiz estimates how much productive <\/SPAN><\/FONT><\/DIV>
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land and water you need to support what you use and what you <\/FONT><\/SPAN><\/DIV>
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discard. After answering 15 easy questions you’ll be able to compare <\/FONT><\/SPAN><\/DIV>
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your Ecological Footprint to what other people use and to what is <\/FONT><\/SPAN><\/DIV>
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available on this planet.<\/SPAN>

CAUTION: THIS QUIZ MAY SURPRISE YOU, SHOCK YOU, <\/SPAN><\/FONT><\/DIV>
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OR MAKE YOU THINK. PLEASE REMAIN CALM…BUT NOT <\/FONT><\/SPAN><\/DIV>
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TOO CALM!!<\/FONT><\/SPAN><\/DIV><\/BLOCKQUOTE>
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Despite my very modest lifestyle (I have about half the “footprint” of the average <\/FONT><\/DIV>
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American), the results told me:  “If everyone [on the planet] lived like you, we would <\/FONT><\/DIV>
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need 2.5 planets.”   There’s a lot of thought-provoking information at the RP website, <\/FONT><\/DIV>
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including RP’s Global Footprint Update<\/A> (March 2004), which explains the concept, <\/SPAN><\/SPAN><\/FONT><\/DIV>
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the global situation, and what needs to be done to help move toward sustainable <\/FONT><\/SPAN><\/SPAN><\/DIV>
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economies and lifestyles.  Table 2 of the update (at 14) gives the Ecological Footprint <\/SPAN><\/FONT><\/SPAN><\/SPAN><\/DIV>
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of Nations.  U.S.A. became the highest per capita Footprint nation in 2000.  Here is a<\/FONT><\/SPAN><\/SPAN><\/SPAN><\/DIV>
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list that compares the U.S.A. with several other nations, to give you an idea of where we <\/FONT><\/SPAN><\/SPAN><\/SPAN><\/DIV>
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stand.  [A hectare is 2.466 acres; there are about 1.82 productive hectares — 4.5 acres — <\/FONT><\/SPAN><\/SPAN><\/SPAN><\/DIV>
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per <\/SPAN><\/SPAN><\/SPAN>capita on this planet.] <\/SPAN>  <\/SPAN><\/SPAN><\/FONT><\/DIV>
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Footprint (global hectares per capita)<\/FONT><\/SPAN><\/DIV>
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<\/FONT><\/SPAN> <\/DIV>
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United States 9.57 (the only nation over 9.00, there are 6 nations over 8.00)<\/FONT><\/FONT><\/SPAN><\/DIV>
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Russia 4.28<\/FONT><\/SPAN><\/DIV>
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Germany 4.26<\/FONT><\/SPAN><\/DIV>
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Italy 3.26<\/FONT><\/SPAN><\/DIV>
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Japan 3.91<\/FONT><\/SPAN><\/DIV>
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Isreal 3.97<\/FONT><\/SPAN><\/DIV>
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China 1.36<\/FONT><\/SPAN><\/SPAN><\/DIV>
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Bangladesh 0.50<\/FONT><\/SPAN><\/DIV><\/BLOCKQUOTE><\/BLOCKQUOTE>
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I’m going to try better to make everyday Earth Day.  Small or symbolic<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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gestures, however, won’t make a lot of difference — our homes and cars <\/FONT><\/DIV>
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are, in general, too big.  Even better than recycling: consuming a lot less. <\/FONT><\/DIV>
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<\/FONT> <\/DIV>
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\"earthSB\"  Barry George is a haiku poet who is very aware of <\/FONT><\/DIV>
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the connection between humans and our planet — even those who<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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live in cities.  Here are three of his poems:<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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<\/FONT> <\/DIV>
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<\/FONT> <\/DIV>
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lost in thought–
the track announcer’s voice
drifts over the river <\/FONT><\/DIV><\/BLOCKQUOTE><\/BLOCKQUOTE><\/BLOCKQUOTE><\/BLOCKQUOTE><\/BLOCKQUOTE><\/BLOCKQUOTE><\/BLOCKQUOTE>
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<\/FONT> <\/DIV>
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<\/FONT> <\/DIV>
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<\/FONT> <\/DIV>
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<\/FONT> <\/DIV>
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<\/FONT> <\/DIV>
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<\/FONT> <\/DIV>
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city dawn–
window washers
rise on their scaffold<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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<\/FONT> <\/DIV>
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<\/FONT> <\/DIV>
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<\/FONT> <\/DIV>
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<\/FONT> <\/P><\/DIV><\/DIV>
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clear marsh sky –
the sound of geese
drinking water<\/FONT><\/P><\/DIV><\/BLOCKQUOTE><\/BLOCKQUOTE><\/BLOCKQUOTE><\/BLOCKQUOTE><\/BLOCKQUOTE><\/BLOCKQUOTE><\/BLOCKQUOTE>
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<\/FONT> <\/DIV>
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<\/FONT> <\/DIV>
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Barry George<\/FONT><\/STRONG><\/FONT><\/A>  from the heron’s nest <\/A>– a haikai journal<\/EM><\/FONT><\/FONT><\/DIV>
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“<\/FONT>city dawn<\/FONT><\/A>” “<\/FONT>clear marsh sky<\/FONT><\/A>” “<\/FONT>lost in thought<\/FONT><\/A>” <\/FONT><\/FONT><\/DIV><\/BLOCKQUOTE>
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<\/FONT> <\/DIV>
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by <\/FONT>dagosan<\/FONT><\/STRONG><\/A>:<\/FONT><\/EM><\/FONT><\/SPAN><\/FONT>  <\/FONT><\/DIV>
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<\/FONT><\/EM><\/DIV>
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<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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<\/FONT><\/FONT><\/DIV>
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Earth Day —<\/FONT><\/FONT><\/DIV>
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recycled bottles<\/FONT><\/FONT><\/DIV>
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in a three-car garage<\/FONT>                  <\/EM><\/FONT><\/DIV>
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                                     [April 24, 2005]<\/FONT><\/FONT><\/EM><\/FONT><\/DIV>
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<\/FONT><\/EM> <\/DIV>
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<\/FONT><\/FONT><\/EM><\/FONT> <\/DIV>
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<\/FONT><\/FONT><\/EM><\/FONT> <\/DIV>
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<\/FONT><\/FONT><\/FONT><\/FONT><\/FONT><\/EM><\/FONT><\/DIV><\/BLOCKQUOTE><\/BLOCKQUOTE><\/BLOCKQUOTE><\/BLOCKQUOTE><\/BLOCKQUOTE><\/BLOCKQUOTE>
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<\/SPAN><\/FONT><\/SPAN><\/FONT>potluck<\/FONT><\/EM><\/STRONG><\/DIV>
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“einsteinTime”   Fun Fact:  If you Google einstein plaids and stripes<\/EM>> <\/FONT>our post<\/FONT><\/A> from<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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last Sunday is the #2 result (even though the famous quote also appeared in an<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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AP story that ran in Sunday newspapers nationwide).   If you like Albert’s fashion <\/FONT><\/DIV>
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statement as much <\/FONT>as I do, you can find it on t-shirts, tote bags, mugs, etc., <\/FONT>here<\/FONT><\/A>. <\/FONT><\/FONT><\/DIV><\/DIV><\/BLOCKQUOTE>
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<\/P><\/FONT><\/STRONG><\/FONT><\/A><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

We forgot to highlight Earth Day on Friday, April 22 (and, yes, the gang here  almost forgot last year, too).  The first Earth Day was 35 years ago, in 1970 (I was a college junior!).  For me, Earth Day is a lot like Valentine’s or Mother’s Days — not necessary, if you’re demonstrating your love and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":94,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[2926],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3785","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-pre-06-2006"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p6kP1R-Z3","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3785","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/94"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3785"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3785\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":13248,"href":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3785\/revisions\/13248"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3785"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3785"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3785"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}