World Earth Day action needed everyday

Editor:

Re: Earth Day 2023

We developed nations are rightfully expected by the non-developed world to make the first meaningful moves on decarbonization, since we’ve done the most polluting thus environmental damage.

Many people are fleeing global-warmingrelated extreme weather events and/or chronic crop failures in the southern hemisphere widely believed by climate scientists to be related to the northern hemisphere’s chronic fossil-fuel burning, beginning with the Industrial Revolution.

Every day of the year really needs World Earth Day action — with a genuine, serious effort and not just brief news-media tokenism or dismissal.

Not long ago, I read an unsigned editorial in a Greater Vancouver community newspaper, headlined “Earth Day in need of a facelift”. It suggested that the annual day of protest/action against humankind’s abuse and destruction of the planet’s natural environment may no longer be needed.

It opined that “some people would argue that [the day of environmental action] … is an anachronism,” that it should instead be a day of recognizing what we’ve societally accomplished. “And while it [has] served us well, in 2017, do we really need Earth Day anymore?”

Varied lengths of the same editorial were also run by other B.C. community newspapers.

Considering the sorry state of so much of our air, sea and land, I still find it one of the most absurd statements to make.

Spaceship Earth and its human passengers have an immense challenge ahead.

Obstacles to environmental progress were quite formidable pre-pandemic. But Covid-19 not only stalled most projects being undertaken, it added greatly to the already busy landfills and burning centers with disposed masks and other non-degradable biohazard-protective singleuse materials.

Also increasingly problematic were/are the very large populace too tired and worried about feeding/housing themselves or their family while on insufficient income to worry about the environment, however much it’s much needed.

Meanwhile, consumers continue throwing nonbiodegradables down their garbage chutes, or flushing pollutants down toilet/sink drainage pipes.

Then there are the toxic-contaminant spills in rarely visited wilderness.

Societally, we still discharge out of elevated exhaust pipes, smoke stacks and, quite consequentially, from sky-high jet engines like it’s all absorbed into the natural environment without repercussion. Clearly it isn't, but who’s noticing (i.e. out of sight, out of mind)?

Frank Sterle Jr.

White Rock, B.