One billion people will celebrate Earth Day today, that is a staggering amount of humanity! A lot of those celebrants, including me, got their awareness of just how fragile this planet is from reading Rachel Carlson’s Silent Spring, a brilliant argument against the dangers of pesticides,thoughtfully researched and brilliantly presented.

Some say it inspired the green movement and looking back I can’t disagree.

Whatever your involvement in todays celebrations, whether it be all in, or all out,there is one thing we can all agree on-the earth is a spectacular place. Back in 1971 when  the UN officially declared April 22nd, a celebration of Earth Day, You would not think a day celebrating our home planet could become as politically charged , but alas, for obvious reasons, it has, and, in my mind, it remains a testament to our ineptitude that we cannot find common ground on even this issue. After all, the last time I checked, this is the only home we have. Clean water and air do have a price.

When I first came up with my Please Save the Animals series of cards and posters distributed by Hallmark, it sprang from this ecological wellspring. A conscious effort to bring awareness that what is good for the planet and its animals, is good for us. I can’t fault that young man’s wisdom even after all these years.

Of course there is a lot of cool stuff available on and off the web today but let me recommend a few highlights. The first is called “The Scale of the Universe 2” by Cary Huang which looks like it was a truly monumental undertaking. It features objects from the universe itself, down to the smallest known particles and everything in between. An interactive flash animation that is both fun and educational. Second is from Hulu. It is a 1970’s television broadcast featuring Frank Blair reporting on the first Earth Day April 22nd 1970. I found the last bit about the melting of the Arctic ice cap, which then I remember thinking was nuts,is now, from all scientific evidence, fact.
Next we have a truly beautiful video from the folks at NASA which features the wonderful Walking on Air theme (by Howard Blake) from “The Snowman” an award winning animation you may remember. The video shows a series of spectacular time-lapse sequences including stars over the southern US, the west coast of Canada, Central Europe to the Middle East, the Aurora Australis over the Indian Ocean, and storms over Africa. captured by the Expedition 30 space station crew aboard the International Space Station and seamlessly blended together. In an overused word-awesome!
Lastly, a favorite of mine airing today on the BBC America Channel (check your local listings) the making of Planet Earth, from  the series, Planet Earth. What can I say? Nobody does it better than David Attenboroough and the BBC crew when in comes to documentary nature programs. A stunning portrait of the planet and the life in it. A celebration! Enjoy!