Go Green for All Of Us, Every Day

Earth Day is still a week away but there's no reason (no good reason, anyway) to wait until the last minute to think about the good you can do - for the planet, others and yourself - on April 22.

Going green is that rare chance to do something for yourself that also benefits your neighbors, your community, your children, grandchildren, and the rest of the world. Earth Day was founded - in 1970, by Sen. Gaylord Nelson (D-Wis.) - on the premise that lots of voices together could be heard as one loud entity. In fact, Nelson modeled the first Earth Day after the anti-Viet Nam War protests that were sweeping the country at the time.

As Nelson later explained, "All across the country, evidence of environmental degradation was appearing everywhere, and everyone noticed except the political establishment. The environmental issue simply was not to be found on the nation's political agenda. The people were concerned, but the politicians were not."

Things aren't quite that bad today: At least some politicians are focused on the environment. But many are not and the planet still needs a lot of help. Which is where you come in.

Create The Good has a wealth of resources on how you can help others go green, along with scores of 5-minute ideas, many of which focus on the environment. There are guides on organizing a river cleanup, helping others save energy and starting (or joining) a community garden. Ideas span the gamut, from taking action at home or in your community to going green at work.

And remember. Earth Day isn't just about doing something on April 22. It's about using April 22 as a platform for building an eco-responsible lifestyle - and helping others do the same. By holding fast to Sen. Nelson's vision we can create a better Earth for future generations.