does Earth Day mean much anymore?

Usually Earth Day passes by as one more day for me...because every day is Earth Day!

Every day, I pick up trash outside

Every day, I tend my gardens outside

Every day, I protect wetlands on my property and encourage diverse native plants to flourish.

Every year, I plants at least one tree (more fruit trees if I can budget it), and let a LOT of native sprout up naturally in my woods.

Every day, I teach my kids about stewarding and conserving the environment.

Every day, I spread permaculture here on permies and elsewhere on the internet.

Every reasonable opportunity, I guide people toward growing food, having less negative impact, and wasting less.

Every day (it feels like!), I mend some clothes or fix some object or maintain something so it lasts longer.

Every day is Earth Day for me.


BUT, back when I didn't have land to steward and didn't know as much, Earth Day felt more important because there were events I could join in on that could help the earth--things I couldn't have easily done without Earth Day events.

My kids school had a two-hour Earth Day event yesterday. Apparently, they, were " making nature journals, identifying natural specimens, learning about macro invertebrates, and much more." We weren't able to make it, because we were still recovering from being sick, but I hear it was really good. My kids learned about conservation today in their Zoology class, and their teacher and some of us parents had some really great discussions.

I'm glad there's Earth Day. A lot of years, I don't even notice it--this year I did. I do think it could be more powerful and policy changing...but I don't know how to make that happen.

The idea occurred to me to organise a celebration for Earth Day this year. I made a poster, made some copies to hang at a few places, scanned it and shared it digitally here and there. On purpose I did not write place and time on the poster, but only my e-mail for more info. So I would know who was interested to come.


Earth Day poster in Dutch

One of my friends reacted quickly that she was interested. Another asked me in person for some info, but did not say she would come. And that was all.

So finally we had a nice little Earth Day celebration with two persons. In the permaculture garden in the park. Each of us brought something to eat and drink for the 'pot luck'. And each of us brought the materials for an 'earth friendly activity'. We wrote some poems (matching this day) on pieces of old bed sheets (and hung those at the fence, in clear view for passers-by).  Then we made 'seed bombs'. And then we had our meal.

Two photos of our little Earth Day celebration.


Poems and Earth Day banner hanging on the fence of the permaculture garden in the park.


Making seed bombs

Earth Day Ode To Dirt

Dear dirt, I am sorry I slighted you,

I thought that you were only the background

for the leading characters—the plants

and animals and human animals.

It’s as if I had loved only the stars

and not the sky which gave them space

in which to shine. Subtle, various,

sensitive, you are the skin of our terrain,

you’re our democracy. When I understood

I had never honored you as a living

equal, I was ashamed of myself,

as if I had not recognized

a character who looked so different from me,

but now I can see us all, made of the

same basic materials—

cousins of that first exploding from nothing—

in our intricate equation together. O dirt,

help us find ways to serve your life,

you who have brought us forth, and fed us,

and who at the end will take us in

and rotate with us, and wobble, and orbit.

~Sharon Olds

(1947 to pres., Poet, 2013 Pulitzer Prize Winner)

You all are at another level. Earth Day could be adding one new extra eco-friendly habit so it gives some challenge.