It was the 1970s, and the Green Generation felt the need to establish a world day dedicated to Earth. Today marks the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, and coincidence (not coincidence) dictates that we are in lockdown due to a pandemic. For this reason, we will reflect, now more than ever, and we will do so in our homes.
We start from here...
It's 1990, Voyager 1 is a full 6 billion kilometers from Earth, and Carl Sagan convinces NASA to turn the probe's camera to return photographs of our planet. Seen from there, it's nothing more than a grain of sand suspended in the enveloping cosmic darkness.
In front of that surprising image he will say:
From this distant vantage point, Earth may not seem particularly interesting. But for us, it's different. Look at that dot again. It's here. It's home. Earth is the only world known to support life. There is nowhere else, at least in the near future, where our species can migrate. Visit, yes. Colonize, not yet.
Like it or not, for now, Earth is where we play our cards. There is perhaps no better demonstration of the folly of human vanities than this distant image of our tiny world. For me, it underscores our responsibility to deal more kindly with one another, and to preserve and protect the pale blue dot, the only home we've ever known.
Now let's think about how we can take care of that pale blue and, indirectly, preserve our stay. There are no more excuses and no alternatives. We have plenty of time to do it!
