Growing up part-time in Gabon, I visited a nearby Portuguese-speaking island, Sao Tome, very frequently. Sao Tome is impoverished and rugged and probably only has 4 toilets on the whole of its surface, but it has a vicious beauty that eats at my soul every time I dream of my time on the island. In the shanties and "cities" on Sao Tome, homeless dogs and pigs ran everywhere while little children tried to catch them (sometimes for dinner- but that's another post). Seeing these little settlements practically covered in waste makes me go gung-ho for this year's theme, even if I do dislike the slogan ("raise your voice not the sea level"). I wish they had gone for something a little shorter and less grammatically obnoxious. But c'est la vie, the UN can only do so much.
Today, I celebrated national earth day by planting tree seedlings in old yogurt containers. Once they grow to be able to weather the horrific climate of Los Angeles, I'll put them in my neighborhood, maybe my local park.
I like to always have a long term goal with this holiday. Sort of like a New Year's Resolution but something that's more interesting to me than a diet. This year, I've decided to learn and teach as much and as many people as possible about how everyone's carbon footprint effects my beloved Sao Tome and even Gabon.
Tiger did his part as well; he helped me pick out which seeds to buy and which trees to transplant. I know my little guy cares about the world just as much as I do.
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