Eco Activism Beyond Earth Day

CATEGORIES: News & Events
a person holding up a stuffed globe at a protest
photo by Kristie Burns
By Trinity Jones

April 22nd marks the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, the day marked to honor Earth. Although Earth Day is just one day a year, activism for the planet continues year-round. Dr. Danielle Wirth had shown activism beyond the designated day for honoring the planet we live on. 

Dr. Wirth participated in a rally the Saturday before the Iowa Caucus to draw attention to the climate crisis. 

“We staged our rally to force candidates to address climate change challenges, and… to criticize the media for lack of consistent and accurate coverage,” she says. 

Over 1,000 participated including members of the Tama Settlement, tribal members from the Meskwaki tribal affiliation, as well as other tribal members from several states who came to add to the voices. At the rally, Indigenous activists spoke about how central the planet Earth is to their relationships.

Dr. Wirth emphasizes the importance of being an activist for our planet as well as taking care of it because it is what keeps civilization going. 

“Here’s the bottom line statement about [the] ecosystem’s function: We need Nature for our own good. For the ‘Prudential Value,’ it embodies. Prudential value means that we need something for our own good. Our survival rests fully on the healthy, vibrant functioning of global ecosystems. There are no replacements for Healthy Ecosystems,.” Says Dr. Wirth, “All the living beings, living interdependently, interacting with each other and […] their landscapes produce the Ecological Services of […] countless […] essential ‘services’. Our civilizations stand upon these services. The honesty of conservation biology knows that without these Beings […] doing their ‘thing’ … the ecological services we depend upon, will crash [and] are crashing right now. Rachel Carson said: ‘Conservation is a cause that has no end. There is no point at which we say, ‘Our work is finished’’.

Students who want to learn more about this topic are encouraged to take Ecofeminism (WGS 320) taught by Dr. Wirth. The 3 credits class will take place every Wednesday next semester from 3:10 to 5:40. It will be Dr. Wirth’s final time teaching the class so sign up now!