In our divided nation the question looming in the minds of many people is, “What will bring us together?”

In 1970, this country celebrated the first Earth Day. This event was an enormous success because it was broadly inclusive, bringing together many kinds of people regardless of religion, politics, gender and race. The people of the United States came together around the common value of life.

In 1970, it seemed we could all agree on the fact that clean water and clean air were necessary for the perpetuation of not only human life, but for life in various forms. So back then we celebrated life by creating laws which supported the things most people intuitively understood to be the foundation of our social security, which is a healthy environment.

Between 1970 and 1974 the United States passed the Clean Air and Clean Water Acts, the Occupational Health and Safety Act, the Endangered Species Act and, under the leadership of President Nixon, established the Environmental Protection Agency.

For the years that followed the first Earth Day, we as a nation behaved as if our lives depended on an intact earth. We took care of each other by taking care of the land, air and water. We lived by the Golden Rule, doing unto others as we would want others to do onto us, and “others,” amazingly enough, included future generations of humans.

On Earth Day 2005, is it too much to ask that we celebrate by coming together and recommitting our lives and our national goals to the preservation of the world around us. Is it possible that we, as a country, can stop bickering over wedge issues which only increase suffering and separate us from our dearly needed neighbors with whom we share these life giving resources. Can we on this Earth Day break through the political logjams and work to promote a vision for a better future on this precious planet we call home.

Teresa Dix

Coupeville