Earth Day 2020

There has never been this little traffic on the highways, the waters of Venice are now clearer, lions are lounging on roads normally frequented by safari-goers in South Africa, and bears and coyotes are roaming a vacant Yosemite National Park.

I know none of us would wish for a pandemic that is taking lives and devastating the livelihoods of millions to be a catalyst for environmental renewal. It is, however a somber yet encouraging result of Covid-19 and a fitting way to pay tribute to the 50th anniversary of Earth Day.

Gina McCarthy, former head of the EPA during the Obama administration and now head of the Natural Resources Defense Council, aptly ponders, “...if people will want to go back to what it was like before...the pandemic has shown people will change their behavior if it’s for the health of their families. This has been the lost message on climate, that it’s a human problem, not a planetary problem.” Certainly food for thought.

If you're looking for a way to celebrate Mother Earth, I encourage you to check out Earth Day Live via earthdaylive2020.org. This site is featuring a three-day livestream where you can join activists, celebrities, musicians, youth organizers and climate justice visionaries in a dialogue about hope for the future. I know hope is the soothing balm we’re seeking right now, so I hope you tune in.