Green Living by Janet Marchant: May Day! May Day!

As we all know, Mother Earth is in big trouble, and that's why this day has always been a special one for environmentalists everywhere.

Very few people realize that "May Day!" is a distress call that is universally understood by everyone in the world. That's why May 1 is set aside for calling attention to the fact that our planet is in distress. The traditional way to celebrate is to shout "May Day! May Day!" while dancing around holding a ribbon, which symbolizes the interconnectedness of all living things, that is attached to a big pole, which symbolizes the North Pole (or, for our friends Down Under, the South Pole) and the attendant danger of melting polar ice caps.

Other traditional forms of celebration include taking off work, which represents the importance of conserving your energy, marching and waving red flags, which symbolize rising global temperatures, and singing about solidarity, which represents the interconnectedness of all living things.

However you choose to celebrate your May Day, remember to take the spirit of the celebration to heart: When confronted with a massive problem, it's important not to waste precious time thinking about what you can do about it; it's much more useful to run around in circles, screaming at the top of your lungs for someone else's help!