In the shadow of an ever-growing marketing blitz for "green" everything, an article in today's issue of Advertising Age asks the eyebrow-raising question, "Is Earth Day the new Christmas?"
It might be, with overzealous retailers cashing in and overshadowing the actual reason for the holiday. Do we really need to be wearing slogan t-shirts, or should we be busy composting?
With everyone jumping on the bandwagon, I'm becoming suspicious of a mob mentality. How many people actually are walking the walk? I'm sure there are some like actor Ed Begley, Jr., whose new book "Living Like Ed" is a great read. I picked it up last week at Barnes & Noble, where it was one of at least 30 or 40 titles on the "Green Table." But have all the authors of those other books been recycling and doing without creature-comfort conveniences since the 1970s, as Begley has -- or are they merely cashing in on the newest pet rock?
Commercialism managed to put a damper on punk rock in the early 1970s, leaving its original, hard-core fans disillusioned, and it continues to do so today every time an underground band, movie or movement goes mainstream. But, as concerned citizens of the planet, should we be a jealous lot?
Don't we need everyone on board in order to make a difference and clean things up? Absolutely. I just wonder whether the GO GREEN mantra will get played out and be remembered in 20 years as a crazy time when everyone went berserk and some shrewd entrepreneurs made a ton of money. Or will it penetrate deeper? Because, frankly, it's a shame about Christmas.
