Thegatewaynews.com - Guest Column: Think of Earth Day every day

The idea that a relationship existed between human progress and environmental degradation was seriously pondered in 1962 by then-Sen. Gaylord Nelson of Wisconsin.

Nelson approached President John F. Kennedy and persuaded him to go on a five-day, 11-state conservation tour to promote environmental stewardship in September 1963. Unfortunately, little attention was paid to those events. At that time, the notion that humans could impact the environment and cause health-related problems to all creatures of the natural world -- human and nonhuman alike -- had rarely been a topic for discussion, in either the public or the private sector.

A few years later, the OPEC Oil Embargo of 1973 relegated Americans to second-class status by foreign countries. The oil-rich nations found both political and an economic victories by using supply and demand to make record profits at the expense of the Western world, and they ultimately influenced our lifestyles.

The initial idea of Earth Day revolved around combining the anti-war spirit with growing public concern for the environment, shaping it into a cause which politicians would be forced to acknowledge. On the first Earth Day, April 22, 1970, an estimated 20 million people participated in activities across the country. So many people were interested in this event that Gaylord's office actually opened an Earth Day satellite office in Washington, D.C. Since the pioneering efforts of the senator, many organizations, schools, universities, and communities have organized events to bring attention to the urgent issues facing the global population regarding sustainability.

Recently, the United States has been in a frenzy over high gas prices. Once again, we face the stark realization that we can be held captive by a finite commodity controlled by foreign suppliers. We are all upset because our family budget is being hit hard by escalating gasoline prices.

The global population now exceeds 6.6 billion people, all of whom will, in some form, rely upon a natural resource to survive. Developing countries will continue to establish partnerships with oil-producing nations to produce goods and services to compete in the global marketplace. Additionally, outdated environmental regulations offer us little hope that we can prevent the continuing destruction of our global ecosystems. After all, clean air and water are two fundamental necessities for all life to exist.

Health, prosperity, and hope are not political issues. They are human issues. The need to solve impending global sustainability issues should never be hijacked by political affiliation or used as a wedge to gain power or make decisions that impact the health of the global community. As it did during the industrial revolution, the United States again is poised to carry the mantle of ingenuity toward a revolution, but this time a "green revolution."

We can engineer our way into the future by recognizing the interconnectivity between humans, environmental sustainability, future economic drivers, and the grave need for infrastructure revitalization toward renewable energy.

April 22 marks the 38th annual celebration of Earth Day. Just as we hope that the spirit of giving at Christmas continues to permeate our culture throughout the year, the essence of Earth Day should also not be diminished to a few days of the year. If we truly want to be a part of the solution and not part of the problem, we need to recognize that "Going Green" is not a just a catchphrase.

It isn't just about recycling, or what type of light bulbs you use.

It is a way of life.