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A sea of visionaries carries a plastic bag ball during the Climate Rally on the National Mall.
Nancy Wilson/Planet Green
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In spite of treats of rain and a floundering climate bill, the Earth Day Network's Climate Rally on the National Mall was a noticeable success. As musicians—from Bob Weir to John Legend to Sting—took the stage, the crowd filled in, ready to sing along and dance, for sure, but also eager to hear the many speakers that filled the time between acts.
One by one, Margaret Atwood and Dhani Jones, James Cameron and Denis Hayes took the stage, emphasizing the importance of this moment, the urgency of immediate action.
But the message that emerged—from the speakers, the musicians, and members of the crowd—was not that the responsibility for change rested in the halls of Congress, or the labs of Silicon Valley, but rather, in the daily lives of every citizen.
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| Nancy Wilson/Planet Green |
Certainly, meaningful climate and energy legislation is essential for righting a national policy that has been so misguided for so long. And certainly, one person switching to LED light bulbs will not halt the growing juggernaut of climate change.
No, the message was not that government and industry were without responsibility, but rather that every person—regardless of nationality, profession, or background—is a steward to the planet.
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| Nancy Wilson/Planet Green |
"Earth Day," Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said, "is really a manifestation of democracy," and the first celebration was an effort to restore the "ancient environmental rights that had been stolen from citizens."
40 Years later, these basic rights are still in jeopardy.
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| Nancy Wilson/Planet Green |
To protect these basic environmental rights, the celebrities and musicians all seemed to agree, we must change our behavior. Even small changes, they said, when combined with other small changes made around the world, have the power to create a large impact.
But in the crowd, a slightly different message emerged: That the most important thing was community, speaking out, and working together. When asked "does Earth Day matter?" these everyday environmentalists responded with a resounding "yes!"
It was a time, they seemed to say, to reconnect with one another, realign those small goals and minute changes, and focus once again on something larger.
In this light, one thing becomes clear: The visionary responsible for the future is every individual in that crowd, it's each performer on stage, it's me, and it's you
