My post about Earth Day losing its shock value triggered a response. I don’t argue with the writer: there is still much to be done and viewing every day as Earth Day is isn’t a bad idea. My point wasn’t that Earth Day had lost its value or that the natural world had been fixed.

This is my point. I like having recycling bins outside the grocery store. I like hearing kids explain to their parents the environmental lessons they learn in school. I like knowing that “environmentalist” and “nutty tree-hugger” are not automatically synonymous. I like people thinking about more fuel-efficient cars, riding bikes to the grocery store, planting native trees, recycling newspapers, buying green laundry soap, using stainless steel water bottles and carrying cloth bags to hold purchases.

Those events/actions/situations have become normal. They aren’t reserved for one day or one part of the country or one group of people. Millions of people were introduced to recycling bins and non-toxic cleaning products because of Earth Day but millions more are learning about environmental responsibility in grammar school, through their employers, on the web. They don’t have to wait for the next Earth Day to learn or to act.