Earth Day 2009
We at the Academy invite our friends to celebrate this special day known as “Earth Day” (April 22). We want to raise our consciousness not only in relation to the earth, but also all four elements of life from the water to the sky and the fire. We also want to recognize the news from European astronomers who recently reported on one of the smallest exoplanets ever discovered, called Gliese 581 e which is just 1.9 times larger than our planet and a bit too close to the sun. Its neighboring planet, discovered earlier (2007) called Gliese 581 d, has just now been recognized as existing in the prime “habitable zone” for potential life. Both Gliese 581 d and 581 e orbit a solar system a mere 20 1/2 light years away from Earth. It is considered a “habitable zone” because its climate would allow.
Water, the “life blood” of our planet, needs to be honored on this special day of appreciation. In all of this, we can appreciate the importance of our planet’s natural environment as a jewel within a vast and awesome universe. In this we realize how special we are to have this near-perfect climate for life as we know it. Let us understand also the reasons why environmental conservation in our backyard of Mother Earth needs to be a high priority to maintain, as best as we can, this perfect jewel we call “space-ship” Earth.
All the elements are critically in need of our attention, but water is key, because despite the fact that 75 percent of the Earth’s surface is covered by water, only 2.5 percent of it is fresh water, the rest is salt water. Of the fresh water, 3/4 of it is in glaciers and permanent snow cover which are rapidly melting and becoming part of our salt water oceans. With over 6 billion people living here, all of whom require fresh drinking water to survive, we need to understand the serious steps required to preserve our water resources and stop water pollution with greater countermeasures.
Let us dedicate ourselves, until the next Earth Day, to help inspire people at our local levels to volunteer their time and services in working for better water futures, a “clean air” environment, and finding solutions to go beyond the “combustion fires” of many earth elements that are not only non-renewable, but also build up green-house gases in our atmosphere! Let us work to preserve the life-giving environment we have been gifted with on Schoolhouse Earth!
Harness Your Hard Work and Vision in using the Water of Life.
Drs. J.J. and Desiree Hurtak
The Academy for Future Science