Be the change you wish to see in the world.

“You see that pale blue dot? That's us. Everything that has ever happened in all of human history, has happened on that pixel. All the triumphs and all the tragedies, all the wars all the famines, all the major advances... it's our only home. And that is what is at stake, our ability to live on planet Earth, to have a future as a civilization. I believe this is a moral issue, it is your time to seize this issue, it is our time to rise again to secure our future” (Al Gore, 2006).

There is no better time to celebrate the Earth than on Earth Day, which takes place on Wednesday, April 22. Every day, everything we do has an impact on the Earth. For the most part, it is a negative impact. On Saturday, April 4, 2009, according to CBC news, satellite images from the European Space Agency show that a 40-kilometre-long ice bridge connecting a vast Antarctic ice shelf to two islands shattered at its narrowest point. Scientists believe this occurrence is due to climate change.

Climate change is a natural occurrence and has been happening for as long as scientists can measure. But leading scientists and global warming propagandists, such as Al Gore and Dr. David Suzuki, have shown that it is occurring much more rapidly than what is natural and that we are the cause. The human race has sped up the process due to our mindless travels, our power plants, mining, deforestation, and our overall senseless behaviou

r resulting in too much pollution.

On March 11, 2009, approximately 42.5 tonnes of heavy fuel oil was spilled into the ocean and washed up onto Australian’s beaches. This happened after a Britain’s Swire Shipping Ltd. fuel tank was damaged when a container aboard the ship had slipped from the deck during a cyclone. The spill caused extensive environmental damage and the annihilation of birds and sea life.

Occurrences such as these are not rare, and happen in less extensive forms every day. On March 28, Earth Hour 2009 passed us by and with Earth Day coming up in April, there isn’t a better time to change our ways. Yes, there are many people that do not believe in global warming, but what about those who do? Every day is a fine day to make a difference, but for Earth Day 2009, why not take that extra step forward. There are so many effortless and insignificant things that we can do to help our planet that would have an overall huge impact: recycling to reduce waste, weather-proofing our homes to conserve energy, carpooling when possible and buying locally to help reduce CO2 and greenhouse gas emissions, reducing our overall energy consumption and most importantly, educating ourselves about what is occurring in our world and what we can do to help it.

"You must be the change you wish to see in the world."

— Mahatma Gandhi