amazing how time flies. in april, 1970, on the first earth day i was living in houston, tx, attending a computer school. at the ripe old age of 23, i was already a committed environmentalist, and ultimately left computers (for a while) to focus on the outdoors and nature. it is significant that the prime mover behind the first earth day, u.s. senator gaylord nelson of wisconsin, understood that a fundamental component for healing the planet is stabilizing the human population worldwide. instead, our numbers have roughly doubled in the mere 39 years since then. i've voiced in previous entries my perception that the planet can sustainably support 10% of the current 6 billion humans, while still allowing for the integrity of wilderness, wildlife and clean air/water. there are no easy answers, but i hope that our continued observance of this day isn't simply a token recognition -- that thinkers and policy makers around the globe will take decisive measures to first halt, then reverse the damage we've done to planetary decimation and species extinctions. every day of the year needs to be earth day, if we ourselves are to survive, let alone thrive. fingers crossed.
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