In this past week, I’ve come across a number of articles across the blogosphere on the merits of Earth Day.

The reasons we celebrate Earth Day are numerous. It reminds us the value of protecting the environment, it raises awareness about current environmental issues, and as it becomes increasingly mainstreamed, it brings the ideas of the environmental movement to a wider audience. I’d like to think that many people would care, but just don’t understand the impact of their actions. If it weren’t for a single day that brings these issues into the spotlight, the environmental movement would stay marginalized and never reach certain audiences.

Others offer a different (and in a way, refreshing) point of view. I’ve recently learned of the Screw Earth Day campaign. The main argument of this campaign is that one day isn’t enough to make up for the environmental damage of an entire year. They paint Earth Day as a feel-good, self-indulgent, forgive-me-for-my-sins kind of thing – a single day of karmic retribution for our actions on the other 364.

Remember these... More than once a year.

I think both sides have a point. One day to remember the environment isn’t going to make a damn difference, unless it translates into more (and more effective) action. A lot of people, still, in this country don’t know their environmental impact (and some just don’t care), and events like Earth Day can certainly spread environmental awareness. It just has to be done right… It has to be inclusive, accessible, and not alienate those who would easily dismiss it. To the many who are aware of environmental issues, a single day of focus on the environment out of 365 seems absurd. And rightfully so. A single day of recycling, composting and bicycle riding hardly makes up for a year of driving, shopping, working in office buildings and eating all the corn and cows afforded to us by our industrial agriculture system. I think those of us aware of these issues should do what we can to mitigate our environmental impact daily. Consume less. Make good environmental decisions whenever you can. Donate. Volunteer. Work for an environmentally aware organization. Or try to bring environmental awareness to wherever you work.

But I think we have a responsibility to see that the ideas spread. Earth Day is just one of many tools for spreading environmental awareness, and the environmentally conscious, far from bashing it, should realize this. We just need to keep in mind that Earth Day / Week / Month isn’t for us. It’s for everyone else. We don’t need it to remind us to be good to the planet. But someone else, without doubt, does.