Earth Day is a birthday. On April 22, 1970, twenty million Americans joined together to promote a healthy, sustainable environment and gave birth to the modern environmental movement. Today, we celebrate activism, community development, and altruism. We celebrate a growing empowerment among people who believe that life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness includes a healthy environment and that habitat preservation includes every one of us. 
At age 39, environmentalism is gaining general acceptance. We drive hybrid cars and leave carbon footprints. As more people learn of the universal importance of healthy living, they see beyond the “environmentalism” stereotype of hemp granola munching hippies versus the corporate suits. Today, the suits are eating hemp granola to control their cholesterol and the hippies run companies driven by sustainability, green energy and corporate responsibility. Groundbreaking laws, such as the California’s Global Warming Solutions Act and Senator Steinberg’s Sustainable Communities Strategy may steer a 21st Century California toward a healthier future in a cost-effective manner. On the federal level, the new administration is working to reverse eight years of practices that were disastrous to clean environments and healthy habitat.
Come celebrate with your community. Sacramento Earth Day 2009 will be at Southside Park this Sunday from 11-6. Walk, bike or take public transit. More than 100 vendors and booths will educate you on amazing new technologies and ways you can save money and make your life greener. Delicious, healthy food will be widely available with music, entertainment and fun all day, including classic rock jam band Deadlocke and reggae grooves from Zion Roots.
The Sac Rag 