Earth Day has once again come and gone, and the local people did their part in cleaning up Golden.
It is nice to have a day that focuses on looking after the environment you live in. But it is also a touch depressing that doing something once a year can be made into such a big deal.
We are lucky in Canada to live in country that is so full of many wonderful natural resources. There are many people who dedicate their lives to the world we live in, but sometimes the goal of looking after the earth and what people are doing is a battle. We do not have to look very far to find a discussion about the environment.
Currently in the British Columbia provincial election, questions regarding what to do about a proposed pipeline to the west coast has put leaders on opposite sides of the debate. The NDP have taken a stance against the project, while Premier Christy Clark is making a push for a greater share of the revenue from the proposed Enbridge Northern Gateway pipeline. The Conservative’s leader John Cummins has confirmed his party’s support for a deal.
Even closer to the area is a battle that has raged for more than twenty years.
The Jumbo Glacier Resort project has been debated for a number of years, and now looks like it is making steps to move forward. However, both individuals and groups have come out against the project, for what has been at least partially described as the negative effects it might have on the development area .
Even when you look at all of the national parks that surround Golden, one might wonder how much access people should have in natural areas.
Of course, these types of discussions are nothing new.
For years people have heard scientists and politicians talk about global warming. If you go online you will find all types of information about how the earth we live on is changing, and what we can supposedly do to make it a better place for future generations.
Like many things, people seem to need that one time of the year to join up to do something to make themselves feel better. A day with a cause is required to get more people involved.
There are other things that can be done continually that may eventually help out more than just the one day a year of cleaning up.
Don’t litter in the first place.
If you see garbage on the ground why not pick it up and throw it away regardless of if it is Earth Day, or one of the other 364 days on a calender.
There are many issues facing the future, and to say that picking up garbage will save the world from some impending doom would be a huge overstatement. But one thing would come out of this small action.
The town we live in would look a little nicer today, and isn’t that worth the effort?
