What in the world....

Do you know what tomorrow is?  If you don't, I can make some safe assumptions about you.  I bet you don't have school age kids and/or you are over 45 years of age. (Of course, you may live South of the equator too--as this day falls during the fall for you.) Tomorrow is Earth Day in the Northern Hemisphere.  A day dedicated to caring for Mother Earth. 

Founded in 1970, Earth Day is supposed to be about Earth Activism.  In other words, on Earth Day we're supposed to be rallying for environmental reform and policy changes.  Yet, it's become a holiday about doing something for the environment, in whatever form you think that action should take.  According to the official web site, it is the largest secular holiday in the world, is recognized in 175 countries and is  celebrated by more than half a billion people.  

In the past, I've had a vague awareness of Earth Day, but this year is different.  Why?  Because I have a child in public school.  Thanks to Earth Day, La Nina informs me every banana peel I toss in the trash should be used for composting.  (Like I want rotting vegetables in my kitchen!)  Thanks to Earth Day, I've had to borrow clothes from a neighbor so I can send La Nina to school in "something recycled".  (The skirt I made for La Nina out of aluminum diet coke cans proved too heavy to wear.)  And thanks to Earth Day, I'll be walking La Nina to school...which would be just fine if I didn't also have to walk the Magster both directions and listen to her tell me she's bored, sweaty and tired for thirty minutes. 

On top of all of it, on Friday, La Nina brought home a ten-page glossy "guide" she received from some environmental group, telling her all about how she can save the rain forests in Costa Rica by selling T-shirts.  Aren't those slick brochures bad for the environment too? Trust me, mine is going straight to the land fill.  I just don't need a tee shirt with giant tigers crawling across it.  

Am I the only person on Earth who thinks this whole celebration is politically motivated and that my six year old is being brain-washed by an ultra liberal education system?  I'm pretty sure I'd be stoned for even asking this question at school. But really, won't we do more for the Earth, if we all just agree to drive our cars a few miles less tomorrow, pick up five pieces of trash or turn off all of our lights an hour early?  May be I'm off base, but it seems like we'll have a lot more impact if we worry about messes in our neighborhoods rather than trying to save rain forests in Central America with glossy brochures and tee shirts.  But what do I know?