Happy Birthday, Earth Day. This year marks Earth Day's 40th Anniversary. The year of its inception, 1969, the NY Times wrote, "rising concern about the 'environmental crisis' is sweeping the nation's campuses with an intensity that may be on its way to eclipsing student discontent over the war in Vietnam." Forty years later, we find ourselves in a very similar position, with an unpopular war overseas and a growing concern about this planet we call home. The truth is, concern over the planet, is not, and shouldn't be a political issue. It's a human one. If you live and breathe on this planet, the condition of it should be a concern to you. It is only commonsense that we should take care of it.

We take pride in cars, our homes, our clothes, but what about the water we swim in, the air we breathe and the food we eat? It is easy to take it for granted until it starts to fail you. Just like good health, we should be practicing preventative maintenance. Health isn't the absence of disease; it is a state of optimal well-being. Good health can be defined as the difference between ease and disease. A place of ease is when we feel good and are not symptomatic. A place of disease is when our bodies start to show signs of a problem. Just because we are not symptomatic or in a place of ease, does not mean we are always well.

The environment is the same way. The absence of smog in Charleston, oil in our water, or noise pollution doesn't mean we don't have environmental concerns. Drive out to Bees Ferry Landfill and realize how much waste we create daily. Walk down Savannah Highway and try to pick up all the cigarette butts that you see. The more we practice preventative maintenance, the more we can show respect to a planet that provides us with life and leave a place of ease for generations to come. If we treat our environment with care now, just like if we take care of our bodies now, our old age and the Earth's will be active and pain-free.
This Earth Day and this year, take pride in our beautiful Lowcountry by committing to changing your habits. Remember, little changes yield big results. Here are a few ideas to get you started in the following areas:
Water: Reduce the amount of water you use. Cut your shower time down to five minutes. Wash clothes in cold water. Turn off the water while you brush your teeth. Invest in low-flow adapters for your faucets and showers (available at your local hardware store). Buy a toilet tummy. It is a cheap, money saving device that goes into the back of your toilet to reduce the amount of water it uses.
Recycling & Waste Reduction: Recycle, Reduce, Reuse! Take this slogan to heart. Recycle as much as you can. Reduce your amount of waste by carrying your own re-usable beverage container and shopping bags. Consider not getting a copy of your receipt, if you don't need it. Reuse what you do have. Have a 'stuff swap' with your friends. Use websites like www.craigslist.com and www.freecycle.com to get stuff free or a reduced cost. And to complete the cycle, buy products that use post-consumer content packaging.

Food & Agriculture: Buy locally as much as possible. We are lucky here in the Lowcountry to have so many delicious farms harvesting produce right in our backyard. Shop the local farmer's markets and buy produce that is in season. Consider how far your food had to travel before it reached your plate. If it came from California, that's a pretty big carbon footprint. Plant a garden, even if it's just herbs. This year, get to know where your food comes from. It might change how you think and feel about it.

Energy: Buy Energy Star appliances. Use your fans instead of your thermostat to cool you down this summer. Turn off the lights and appliances when you leave your home. Carpool. Ride your bike.

Economy: Support a green economy. Support businesses that are trying to make a shift in the right direction. You get to vote with your money every time you purchase a product or service. Who and what are you voting for?

Happy Earth Day. Let's give back to Mother Earth by making any changes that fit into your life. It's not Democrat or Republican to be green. It's you and it's me doing what we can to leave a better world for generations to come.

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