It's the 40th anniversary of Earth Day and a call to be more conscious of how hard we tread upon the face of old, generous Gaia...
There are several sort of pointless holidays in my opinion. I've never been a big fan of Easter or Valentines' Day... but, Earth Day actually could mean something more to me and my loved ones. Some of us have been talking about creating new traditions that would make Earth Day something to which one might look anxiously forward... like Christmas, only, it's not all about you or budgeting an absurd number of gifts for every person you know. Instead, we remind ourselves to waste less, to live simply, to respect other living things and the laws of our complex ecosystem.
One day's not enough, so, like a 12 Days of Earth Day or what have you, my companions and I have decided to stretch out the festivities over the next week or two. To start things off, Anya and I took her kids to the Virginia Living Museum in Newport News to engage more closely with several wild animals. It's a little sad to see birds that only stay behind that fence because they can no longer fly... but it's heartening that they are protected here at the museum. It was probably a rough day for these injured critters... lots of schools seemed to have the same idea as us and brought kids by the bus load. 5th graders everywhere... yelling, tugging, Oohing and Aahing, getting "grossed out," etc. I think it was making the animals (and Anya's kids) sleepy, cranky, and it inspired a great desire in the animals (and me) to hide in the shade.
Still, we learned a little about rooftop gardens (makes your house sort of resemble a Hobbit hole... what could be better?), we observed the sorts of fish that swim in the Chesapeake Bay, met an extremely large lobster, and walked the nature trail viewing foxes, wolves, eagles, ducks, and turkeys while warming ourselves in the spots of sun peeking between the first bright green leaves of springtime. On top of it all, I was introduced to the work of the late Charley Harper.
(from http://elphicks.files.wordpress.com)I'm so very behind... this man popularized a sort of... I guess they call it "minimal realism" movement. As you see, his images are pretty simple... but there's something about that, the organization of the bright colors and images... nuanced but clearly recognizable creatures and feelings the artist associates with them. I particularly like the above image, titled Wrenovation... Mr. Harper clearly had a sense of humor, but perhaps, also a love and respect for animals and an acknowledgment of every human's intrusion upon Nature.
(from http://www.iconoclasteditions.com)I just like the owls. They remind me of families... the ones we choose or the ones into which we were lucky (some of us) to be born.
(from http://anniestreasuretrove.files.wordpress.com)This collage just gives you another feel for his simple, yet lively critters, crawlers, and swimmers. Anya and I had to talk each other out of buying most of the remaining prints framed for sale in the gallery. It's a neat room... they have wooden tables prepped for making "rubbings" of Charley Harper animals and other games for kids while the adults scan the artwork. Very clever... lots of genuine fun. Couldn't help but smile at these images that remind us of what makes animals fascinating... how different, and yet, how similar to us they sometimes seem.
We left the museum, put the kids down for a nap, and discussed the next move from here to celebrate Earth Day/Week(s). We're going to cook a new recipe with local produce, plant in the garden, maybe make cards out of recycled paper, attend a children's fair for Earth Day after we shop at the Farmers' Market, see the new Disney nature film (Oceans... the trailer to which was what triggered my vegetarianism...), and perhaps go to the Mount Trashmore event May 2nd (Everyone seems to celebrate Earth Day whenever they want... the event is another Family Fun with Awareness sort of... thing).
There's a part of me that still hears the Lorax crying into my ear... there's always a little bit more that I could do that might make more of a difference. Check for ways to better conserve water, work more with my own pitiful porch garden, find some way to drive less (yeah... not likely with the sorry excuse for a public transportation system here in Hampton Roads), change out my cleaning supplies with less harmful or homemade solutions, etc. But, I started this entry by saying that I'm trying to create traditions... and, maybe, as these traditions of visiting animals, cooking meals, attending outdoor fairs, or reading a new book on the subject (still working through my copy of DIET FOR A SMALL PLANET by Frances Moore Lappé)... maybe each year, I'll be reminded to do one or two more things that change how I use Earth's resources.
Because, I guess it really matters to me not to contribute to the eventual destruction of the planet. We could wait many generations for the sun to swallow us, or we could be truly foolish and wasteful and blow ourselves to kingdom come... wipe out the only intelligent life we know anything about in the universe.
No. Not me. I'm doing the best I know how.
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