Happy Earth Day.

It’s hard to put an enthusiastic, happy “exclamation mark” at the end of that, these days, as the head of the EPA is dedicated to actively destroying our America the Beautiful and serving the interests of Big Oil, and Co.

Only a few long years ago, much progress had been made, and fast. The largest investment in climate crisis-addressing measures in history, by far, rolled across the US—benefiting all of us and creating jobs as it went. While imperfect, progress was encouraging…until we voted the other way, once again.

And so, once again, we’re heading in the wrong direction, and quickly, and in many ways irrevocably.

So it’s an urgent call, these days. But there’s no urgency.

People idle their cars, polluting the air around them. Data Centers grow where flowers once shook gently in the wind—in Indiana, Data Centers are already the number one electricity-suck, raising bills for all of us. Your local cafe offers plastic-lined to-go cups, probably, and, probably, people drink their coffee to-go, in those plastic cups, even when they’re enjoying their cup for-here.

Those of us who care feel alone. We’re not.

The vast majority of polled citizens around the world want urgent climate action. That’s not a liberal thing. It’s a thing for all of us who have children, or care about future generations, or don’t like extreme heat or flooding. Etcetera. And so while it’s been normalized to pretend it’s not urgent…well, it’s urgent.

And lest we feel alone, or dispirited, remember: being eco and creating healing change is actually fun, meaningful, often hard, but always fulfilling.

We must root ourselves in community, good cheer, in honesty and bravery and vulnerability—and in action. We have to vote. We have to care. We have to support good over uncaring. Our task is no less than to save the earth, from ourselves, for all future generations, for all species, for all this miracle that is life, here, on Planet Earth.

So let us celebrate this dear Earth, and honor her, and steward her care. Elephant’s mission, for 23 years now, has always been to treat every day as Earth Day. Every choice matters—both big and small, both micro and macro.

Way back in 2008, we interviewed a climate expert who said we had 10 years left to take a U-turn.

Today, we’re well past that. But there are hopeful signs. Despite our anti-environment EPA, solar power, wind power, electric cars, more bike lanes and investments in trains, vegan options, a push against the plastic tide…all these will and must continue to become more accessible and affordable and common.

So remember, please: caring about the Earth isn’t about being a hippie, or a liberal—it’s simply caring about our home sweet home—and all future generations—our children.

So let’s care.

Care in every little action. The more of us who do, we’ll normalize caring, instead of trashing. Let’s give our next generations a chance as enjoying—and celebrating, and honoring—this wonderful world.

Want more? Waylon spoke about Global Warming on Walk The Talk Show in March:

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The above image is from my second, eco-printed plastic and ink-free (!) book, It’s Never too Late: get or gift a copy at elephantjournal.com/books