This Friday, April 22, is Earth Day. On April 20, 1970, the first Earth day celebration was launched. It sparked a momentum credited with launching the modern environmental movement and the creation of many environmental laws, such as the landmark Clean Air, Clean Water, and Endangered Species Acts. Currently, Earth Day involves over one billion participants, the largest civic observance in the world. In honor of Earth Day, I like to take an interactive questionnaire on the Global Footprint Network’s Web site. It’s a fun way to learn some important, often sobering things about how my lifestyle affects the environment, and helps me be more mindful in the decisions I make throughout the year. My husband and I are city dwellers, sharing a 300-square-foot apartment. We do not own a car or a TV. We walk to work every day. We eat organic, locally harvested food as much as possible, and avoid unnecessary shopping. You’d think I’d have a good score, right? Wrong. If everyone lived like we do, it would take 4.5 Planet Earths to provide enough resources. How do you plan to take action, on Earth Day and every day? Get your personal carbon footprint: www.footprintnetwork.org Learn more about Earth Day: www.earthday.org

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