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Columbus commemorated Earth Day 2009 with many work-site events around greater Columbus on Saturday April 18, and with a celebration at Goodale Park on the following day.

The music you are hearing is from System Theory, recorded at Dick’s Den on High Street. Just a Frisbee throw south of the Blue Danube, the jazz bar is , in my opinion, one of Columbus’ cultural and historical sites.

On keyboards is Scott Steeleman . On bass guitar Jim Tussing. On drums and moog synthesizer Adam Smith, not to be confused with the economist. On flute is Michael Cox.

Some might call the Earth Day event a celebration. Some might call it an observance of Earth Day, not wanting to use the term ‘celebration,’ due to thinking that humanity has many tough ecological challenges before us. Some might say its premature to celebrate any sort of achievement in terms of dealing with our eco-challenges.

But another way of thinking of the Earth Day event is think that there are things to celebrate, such as the fact that many people are working together to address our eco-challenges and not giving in to cynicism and hopelessness.

Some people might also say that environmentalism has at its roots a celebration of life-or perhaps a celebration of, and appreciation for, the physical and mental health of human beings, and other sentient beings, and an appreciation for the Earth’s services

upon which, not only life, but quality of life depends.

So, with that line of reasoning, Earth Day can involve celebrating life and appreciating the quality of life we have.

But how much of that celebration is based on our sense of what we have accomplished in terms of making our lives and our communities more ecologically and socially sustainable? You tell me. Go to Civically Engaged DOT NET to give your input. It would be great to hear from you.