Orono,
ME (4/22/98)- Has Earth Day, founded in the idealistic days of the
1960's, sold its soul to the company store? While the day still serves
to promote environmental values, it also reveals some of the limitations
of the environmental movement, says one researcher.
"A number of environmental groups consider the holiday's very popularity
to be its own undoing, as corporate and business groups see Earth Day as
an opportunity to define themselves as supportive of the environment,"
says Amy Fried, an assistant professor of political science. "The holiday
has proved to be a mixed legacy, reflecting the schisms permeating American
environmentalism." '
Fried has made a life study of public opinion, particularly in relation
to how events such as holidays help shape our politics, culture and values.
For a research paper now under review in the journal "Environmental Politics,"
Fried surveyed staff members at 18 major environmental organizations. She
surveyed their plans for Earth Day activities and asked for comments on
the political or educational nature of Earth Day.
While the survey revealed general agreement on the value of Earth Day
reinforcing the importance of environmental education, there was considerable
difference of opinion among the environmental groups on other issues.
Some survey respondents suggested Earth Day has become a "feel good"
media story, lacking "political clout." They criticized the emphasis on
individual action--recycling, driving fuel-efficient cars, using cloth
grocery bags--over collective, political action.
Other respondents argued that consumers do bear some responsibility
for the condition of the planet. One respondent spoke of the need to "focus
on incorporating an environmentally-friendly lifestyle into our daily habits
the other 364 days of the year. A number of people complained about littering
at Earth Day events.
The issue of corporate sponsorship of Earth Day events was the most
divisive. While members of some environmental groups criticized corporate
funding as "greenwashing," others viewed the practice as a legitimate means
of raising funds for the environmental movement.
For example, the organizers of the 25th Earth Day observance in 1995,
solicited corporate sponsorships at $20,000 a pop. Corporations making
larger donations gained the right to adopt the Earth Day USA logo.
"If a corporation is moving to be green, that's just fine. Many of today's
corporate leaders participated in the first Earth Day in college; it turned
them into environmentalists. If they try to coopt Earth Day, they'll just
help spread environmental propaganda," said one correspondent in favor
of corporate sponsorship.
But an opponent of sponsorship disagreeed: "Many times waste companies
sponsor family events with entertainment, commercial enterprise books and
exhibits to promote the idea that polluters are really protectors of the
environment. Corporate sponsorships, incinerator company Frisbees given
away, tables of goods hawked by non- or pseudo-environmental organizations
... change the character of meaning of Earth Day in a negative way."
And schools have become the battleground. These days, schools throughout
the country hold Earth Day programs like fairs and nature walks to teach
children the importance of protecting the environment. And this is fine,
says Fried, except it can bring together clashing itnerest groups.
"It has reached the point where schools always do something for Earth
Day. Interest groups--whether pro-environment or anti-environment-- are
taking the time to try to influence environmental education, because they
realize it affects the next generation," Fried says.
"Creating a new national holiday, one in which millions of adults and
children regularly participate, is a remarkable achievement," Fried concludes
in the paper. "Earth Day's socializing effects may influence Americans
over the long term. While a number of environmentalists often decry the
often muted celebrations of Earth day, the holiday's ability to institutionalize
some version of environmental values may prove to be a valuable inheritance."
A look at the official Earth Day Web
Page demonstrates some of the creeping commercialism. The page includes
sections on corporate sponsors, an earth day marketplace, and invitations
to become a sponsor. And on the political front, the environment might
make good sound bites, but legislation invovling the reauthorization of
the Endangered Species Act; the Superfund for the cleanup of toxic
waste; not to mention ratification of the Kyoto global warming treaty,
remain stuck in legislative limbo.
Earth Day began in 1970 as an idealistic concept from the mind of Senator
Gaylord Nelson. The idea was born out of frusration that government, media
and the economoci power structure of the country paid little attention
to environemntal issues.
"Earth Day achieved what I had hoped for. The objective was to get a
nationwide demonstration of concern for the environment so large that it
would shake up the political arena. It was a gamble, but it worked. An
estimated twenty million people participated in peaceful demonstrations
all across the country. Ten thousand grade schools and high schools, two
thousand colleges, and one thousand communities were involved. It was a
truly astonishing grassroots explosion. The people cared and Earth Day
became the first opportunity they ever had to join in a nationwide demonstration
to send a big message to the politicians -- a message to tell them to wake
up and do something," noted Senator Nelson.
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