Focus on the good things in the face of planetary ruin

Editor:

I would like to provide a short response to Andrew Beale’s Earth Day column in Wednesday’s Daily Lobo.

Although I certainly agree that many of the things we have done to our planet and natural resources are bad, the best way to bring about any kind of change is not to focus on the negativity, but to highlight the positive.

The Deepwater Horizon oil spill last April certainly was and continues to be a tragedy, but it also showcases the incredible power that individuals have. Of course it’s frustrating that BP has yet to be fined, but there is an effort to convince Congress not only to fine the oil company but to direct that money to the Gulf where it’s needed.

Just search “Democracy for America” and “BP fines” to add your name to a petition.

And if the response to the oil spill is any indication, we have the power to do it. I propose that this Earth Day, instead of lamenting over the many problems that our planet is facing, we celebrate our Earth and the people who can and do make a difference. Volunteers with groups like LA Gulf Response and Save our Shores made an enormous impact rescuing sea birds, sea turtles and other animals, as well as producing and distributing booms to stop the oil creeping up on shore and doing damage control after it did.

Albuquerque volunteers joined forces to help hundreds of miles away through a program set up by the Albuquerque Aquarium that gathered hair to make booms that would soak up the oil.

The aquarium then delivered those booms to the Gulf coast states. Children all over the country also rallied for the cause. A group of boys whose birthdays were shortly after the oil spill began requested donations be made to recovery efforts instead of receiving birthday presents; they raised nearly $2,000. A group of school kids sold sea turtle paper cutouts for donations. They far surpassed their fundraising goal of $900.

It is efforts like these that are cause for celebration, not sadness.

Don’t cry over spilled oil, but instead cheer for the wonderful power that each of us has. To celebrate our Earth and join the fight to protect it, I would like to invite you to the Albuquerque BioPark’s Party for the Planet on Saturday.

Volunteers at the zoo, aquarium and botanic gardens will be celebrating Earth Day by sharing more of these powerful stories of hope and change. There will be games, staff Q&A and much more to celebrate the ways that you can make a difference, ways to recover from tragedy and things you can do too to ensure that there is, in fact, beauty left on our planet for future generations.

Jessica Stephens
UNM student