Earth Day at Life As A Human – Stand Up for Your Planet

On April 22nd, Earth Day celebrates its 40th anniversary. Beginning at 9pm PST on April 21st, Life As A Human will begin publishing features from our authors about our relationship to Mother Earth, and our impact on her. In my view, the stakes have never been higher for this beautiful Blue Planet, third from the sun, our home.

The first Earth Day in 1970 was a Teach-In that drew 20 million demonstrators in support of policy changes in favour of the environment. Since then, some things have improved, some things have worsened, and some things just have different names for the same problems. Copenhagen, the big let-down, is a case in point.

But in the spirit of hope and tenacity, Earth Day 2010 coincides with the World People’s Conference on Climate Change and the Rights of Mother Earth, organized by the Bolivian government in Cochabamba, Bolivia, April 19-22, 2010. The conference’s goals include:

• providing an alternative platform for civil society and governments to discuss climate change
• creating proposals for new commitments to the Kyoto Protocol
• drafting a Universal Declaration on the Rights of Mother Earth
• organizing a People’s World Referendum on Climate Change
• planning the establishment of a Climate Justice Tribunal.

Are these goals naive? In my view, who cares. I prefer action-oriented naivete to do-nothing cynicism any day. See for yourself — the event will also be webcast by OneClimate.

Life As A Human, Live from Planet Earth

Life As A Human will be adding more voices to the Earth Day conversation through articles that will run the gamut from hopeful and inspiring, to radical and ready for action. On behalf of the Life As A Human Team, I invite you to please visit us on Earth Day and add your comments to the voices of our writers.

Tell us what you think, what you hope, what you imagine, what you want. We’ll be here…listening to you.

—Kerry Slavens, Editor in Chief, Life As A Human

Photo Credit

Unofficial Earth Day flag by John McConnell: the Blue Marble on a blue field.

Recent Kerry Slavens Articles:

• After the Riot: Mob Psychology at Work in Vancouver
• Before I Became a Mother....
• The Big Death: Reactions to the Killing of Osama Bin Laden
• Bolivia to Pass Laws Granting Mother Nature Equal Rights with Humans
• Unstable World: Thoughts After the Earthquake and Tsunami in Japan