April 22nd, 2008 is the 38th annual "Earth Day," designed to promote awareness and education on preserving our environment.  Half a billion people people participate in park cleanups, fairs, and lectures on the environment. A half BILLION people. Thirty-eight YEARS.

But has "Earth's day" come?

I have utmost respect for activities that help us unite and declare the planet that sustains us a top priority--and the more, the merrier.  Earth Day has come a long way from the public image of a handful of Birkenstock-wearing, tye-dye clad hippies chaining themselves to trees. It's no longer crazy to worry about the envioronment; nowadays it's downright fashionable. So, we drive to Earth Day fairs in our oversized SUV's, leaving the A/C, computer, and dishwasher on at home while we're gone, and on our way back stop off at the store for some imported produce and a plastic-with-a-straw encased frappucino. Progress, not perfection.

It's a long way to go on this road less traveled, yet we don't have the luxury of another thirty-eight, once-a-year events in which to spread the word. Earth Day must be now, must be every day, and all of us must be its organizers.

The Green Writing Challenge takes this to task by asking readers and writers to make Earth-conscious changes in their practice--even just ONE change can make a difference. This Earth Day, take a little time to educate yourself on what you can do and why it's so vital that we do it right now...then commit yourself to making even one additional change every day. 

Some good educational resources for making earth-today changes:

climatecrisis.net
11thhouraction.com
earthday.net
gardengirltv.net
eartheasy.com
stopglobalwarming.org

While you're at it, swing by http://wecansolveit.org/ and sign your name to support taking action...and if you haven't yet, comment here and grab a participant graphic for the Green Writing Challenge.

So I say, let's declare Earth Day is no more...by changing the name to Earth toDay. Let every day be an investment in the health and future of our children...and ourselves.

As part of the Green Writing Challenge, I made a commitment to pursue only non traditional publishing methods for one year. So off to eBook publishers I went. But was ePub really the way to go? Was this truly a good option to offer my readers?

I have five e-titles out now, and I can answer this with a resounding YES. I hear quite a few comments about why print books are preferable, but I'm here to shed light on the page. Here are some reasons to consider making your next reading purchase an eBook:

1. eBooks kill far fewer trees. I can't say NO trees, since the companies and authors producing them do likely use paper for marketing and correspondence. Still, eBooks are much more environmentally friendly than traditional, mass print run methods. POD (print on demand) improves on this approach quite a bit, but eBooks take that a big step further.

2. eBook production/consumption requires minimal fossil fuel use. Consider how many trucks, planes, vans, and automobiles are put into service shipping the hundreds of thousands of book titles (that's TITLES, not total books) put into production each year. eBook manufacture requires a miniscule fraction of all this energy consumption.

3. eBooks are less expensive than paper books. Typical prices for new eBooks run between two and six dollars, as opposed to between six and twenty-five dollars for a new print title.

4. eBooks take up much less room. Find yourself hanging onto favorite titles for years? Then you have to have room to store them, dust them, and lug them around when you move. eBooks can be kept forever with very little space (or dusting) required.

5. Paper books degrade/damage easily. Pages wear and tear, yellow, and eventually crumble. Hang onto your favorite stories far longer by backing them up on sturdier media.

6. Have trouble reading small print? With a regular book, you're only in control of the glasses you can put on your face to magnify print. With eBooks, you can tweak the font size itself so it's easier to read.

Despite the many advantages of eBooks, many people still cling to the idea that paper books are superior. A couple common reasons I hear are that paper books are more portable and easier to lend out. I disagree! Even the most avid reader would be hard pressed to tote around more than two or three books at a time (and that with a bit of shoulder strain). Yet one lightweight handheld reader, palm pilot, or smartphone allows you to "carry" many books with you at all times--with instant access to thousands more wherever you go (with online access). Books can be "beamed" to other readers, or CD copies easily lent--and are less likely to be returned damaged, torn, or with coffee stains on the cover!

Think only a few small potatoes authors are going eBook? Think again! Pocket readers are adding the likes of Sherrilyn Kenyon, Dean Koontz, and Michael Crichton to their libraries. What's more, eBook lending libraries are beginning to pop up on the Internet. "Borrow" titles by downloading to your reader. These expire at the end of the lending period. No more worries about lost books, late fees, or fines for accidental damage!

eBooks aren't a perfect medium, and I don't expect they'll replace our beloved paper books any time soon. But in a time where we are looking in every corner for ways to reduce impact on an overstressed planet, consider checking your book nook, too. Start small--just commit to one or two eBooks to try it out--and keep an open mind. If you don't want to rush out an invest in a reader and lack a smartphone, your desktop or laptop computer will do. Of course, if you want to test this out with one of my eBooks I'd be thrilled! But any will do...and thank you for indulging your love of a good story AND Mother Earth!

On Saturday, MARCH 29, 2008 at 8 PM, join millions of people across the globe in turning off all your lights for 1 HOUR to make a difference--and a statement--for the environment. Sign up today, and encourage friends, family, and coworkers to do the same!

The first Earth Hour happened in 2007, and was based only in Australia. Still, over TWO MILLION people participated, resulting in a combined decrease of energy consumption by over 10% for that hour--THE EQUIVALENT OF TAKING 48,000 CARS OFF THE ROAD FOR 1 YEAR! Can you imagine making such a huge impact on our planet--in exchange for a mere one hour of your time?

Now Earth Hour has gone global, and all are encouraged to sign up and participate in this historic event.

From the Earth Hour website:

"Created to take a stand against the greatest threat our planet has ever faced, Earth Hour uses the simple action of turning off the lights for one hour to deliver a powerful message about the need for action on global warming.

This simple act has captured the hearts and minds of people all over the world. As a result, at 8pm March 29, 2008 millions of people in some of the world's major capital cities, including Copenhagen, Toronto, Chicago, Melbourne, Brisbane and Tel Aviv will unite and switch off for Earth Hour."

For more information and to sign up, visit EarthHour.org today! Let's help shine a light on energy consumption with one hour of dark.

The Green Writing Challenge is designed to help promote environmentally friendly alternatives to traditional methods used in the writing and publishing industry. The Challenge is NOT just for writers, however...any of the following are welcome:

Writers
Readers
Booksellers
Publishers
Agents
ANYONE interested in conservation!

How do YOU help preserve our environment? I want to hear your suggestions! Please post your comments here and win the challenge!