40 years ago I was a 16 year old in high school and we had our first Earth Day. From then to now - what has happened? I see the good ( recycling) and the bad (corporate money we need to move these initiative to the next higher level.) I confess upon reflection of 40 years I feel we have made this a third priority.

Your thoughts welcomed.

Also 16 on that day, I watched the high school administrators hassling the kids with black arm earth day arm bands (bad choice as it turned out) because despite the publicity, they couldn't figure out who or what the solidarity was for. The incidents in the school tending toward violent confrontations had them seriously on edge and they reacted like automatons. Then came the riots and the occupation as the race issues began to boil over into real incidents.

My way of saying Earth Day like Timothy Leary's Harvard experiments start with an image problem that became so entangled in the meme, avoidance was easy and then ONLY corporate push could get it the attention it needs. Recycling became another in the long list of societal obligations laid down by a generation that committed to so many things it became easy to let the shining core of that generation become marginalized.

MG and Len, You might appreciate this week's lead "overheard in DC" (a weekly entry on a local blog):

Overheard of the Week
In a suburban Md. office:

Woman: "It's not even Earth Day anymore, it's like Earth Week. When i was in high school, all we did was go to a festival, to just listen to music and buy jewelry."
Man: (with a chuckle) "Yeah, I feel like that's what the whole day was originally intended to be for."
Woman: "Yeah now they're all crazy with the saving-the-Earth crap."

http://dcist.com/2010/04/overheard_in_d ... _world.php

I really like the way Medellin, Colombia celebrated:

http://oneclick.indiatimes.com/photo/00 ... q=Colombia

Eillen - I do appreciate and understand. Thank you so much!

Here is a gem I could not put down. I was reading it in the parking lot of the library the day it was due with a flashlight...

It is impossible to overstate the cultural significance of the four men described in Don Lattin’s The Harvard Psychedelic Club. Huston Smith, tirelessly working to promote cross-cultural religious and spiritual tolerance. Richard Alpert, a.k.a. Ram Dass, inspiring generations with his mantra, “be here now.” Andrew Weil, undisputed leader of the holistic medicine revolution. And, of course, Timothy Leary, the charismatic, rebellious counter-culture icon and LSD guru. Journalist Don Lattin provides the funny, moving inside story of the “Cambridge Quartet,” who crossed paths with the infamous Harvard Psilocybin Project in the early 60’s, and went on to pioneer the Mind/Body/Spirit movement that would popularize yoga, vegetarianism, and Eastern mysticism in the Western world.

[b]Hemp would be a good thing to have Farmers grow for we can make Paper, Plastics and Bio-Fuel from it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZOkKh1DPWw

Ford's first car was made out of Hemp Plastics and designed to run on Hemp fuel.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PS5EoE7WF7I

And here is Hugh Downs speaking about Hemp.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OmX3UQIbfXI

[/b]

Len, I am surprised you didn't respond, we were thinking alike about Timothy Leary.

I know only this much: that corporate points for Being Green is impactful, and fules this initiative. I am not upset it has legs because of this. The end justifies the means.

[b]no wonder I only pass through here from time to time.[/b]

2:57 am 4-26-2000 & 10