Earth Day Angst

Yes, it's that time of the year again when we forget about Easter Bunny, Santa Claus, the US banking boondoggle and Britney Spears and wonder what we should be doing to preserve our precious planet. We're not in Oz anymore. Time to get real.


Some folks collect garbage by the roadside and that's an aesthetic aid,
while others cower in front of the TV, far too afraid
to handle the truth
that even their idiot box is contributing to global warming.

Many fancy themselves ecoconsumers,
buying hemp clothes and green cleaners
and forget that more stuff won't stave off the doom and gloomers.

Others like me want to enjoy a mauve sunset
or counting sandhill cranes
instead of preaching the end of the world
like we're all insane.

Yet there is something everyone can do
and it's not too tough
unplug yourself for a day
It's about disconnecting from stuff --
to be without a car, cellphone, computer or satellite TV
and watch the dust dance in the air
or the coyotes prowl through your yard with nary a care.

I burned the prairies around my house
as form of renewal
(forget about the CO2)
and watched the forbs sprout up again --
nature's sweet accrual.

To date, I've replaced nearly all my lightbulbs
with compact fluorescents,
attached electronic gizmos
to power strips and turned them off during my somnolence.

We set up a clothes line
for drying in the summer
a rain barrel for the garden
and a solar pump for a fountain.

When I can afford it
I'll go with solar heating panels
and if the PV cells ever get cheaper
I'll tune in electrons from the sun's radiant channels.

The best thing I can do
and it's nearly carbon neutral
is to grown my own food
and make something useful.

We try to avoid plastic
and Disney World trips
we took the train on vacations
across this country's broad midriff.

I write my Congresswoman
about building high-speed rail,
more clean energy and tax breaks
of this ilk. Obama's stimulus plan
will start us down this track -- we must prevail.

Somewhere out there
is a girl or guy
who will find a way
to get energy from the sky
store it in a thimble
and not worry about recharging
because it's renewable, carbon-free
and simple.

Cheap, portable energy,
clean water, food and air --
it's all about peace.
If you've got it,
there's no need to be the global police.

So remember this Earth Day --
we've reached a tipping point,
the best thing you can do
is to let go of that old, conventional goo.