Kathleen Rogers is like any other homeowner.
“I’m imperfect,” said Rogers, president of the Earth Day Network, this week from Washington, D.C. “Like many people, I pick from a set of important green home issues.”
That means, yes, most of her housekeeping products are natural or organic. But as a mom, Rogers also keeps bleach on hand at home for a thorough cleaning after flu season.
As she prepares for the 40th anniversary of Earth Day on Thursday, Rogers can look back with pride at the evolution of the modern environmental movement. It went from being just about protecting nature and wildlife to being viewed today as essential to human health and safety, she said. Other successes include cleaning up toxic-waste sites like Love Canal, and the fact that now nearly every school in the nation observes Earth Day.
But, Rogers added, “the world that we envisioned in 1970 hasn’t come to pass.”
For every toxin that’s been identified, she said, a new, modern convenience has been born with a whole new realm of environmental concerns.
What Rogers can say with confidence is that this Earth Day arrives during “the birth of a green industrial revolution,” and that individuals like you and me are key to securing a healthy planet.
“The average homeowner can make a huge difference, from how we build our houses to how we heat and air condition (them),” Rogers said. “Consumers do have an impact on how fast the world goes green.”
