Earth day being just around the corner got me thinking of what the “green movement” has brought to our culture.

My first real green-leaning memories are of watching “The Nature of Things”, with David Suzuki, who in a strange occurrence, I crossed paths with this summer in Vancouver.

I just dropped off my friend, turned the corner, and bam! My eyes lock with those of David Suzuki, crossing the street in all his majestic and bearded, enviro-samurai glory.

I’ve met several famous politicians or other famous reporter-types and have never been star-struck but this, somehow, shook me right back to when I was eight years old and Suzuki was talking about some strange foreign bug on T.V.

So when I think of April 22, or Earth Day, the first thing that pops into my mind is David Suzuki.

Although I was never an environment fanatic, I have run into enough green stories and technology to realize that respect and fascination with learning more about the environment and how to be good to it, is becoming embedded in our culture.

How long will it be before turning off all the electrical lights in your building for five minutes on Earth Day, won’t become a tradition like putting up the Christmas tree?

The environment doesn’t just come around once a year, although in Alberta, if you are far enough north you will only really be able to see the environment when all the snow melts in the summer.

The environment is with us always; whether it’s gardening, farming, camping or hiking outside people are interacting more and more with the environment and dedicating more knowledge and importance on the subject.

When I was growing up they never had outdoor-style classes like the Lesser Slave Forest Education Society provide but these are great ways for people to start learning about nature and the environment when they are young.

All science and “The Nature of Things” aside, the environment is engrained in our very culture whether it’s being a vegan or using low voltage lights bulbs, simply being energy conscious, composting or your job working with it, the environment is popping up more in every day life.

All this is good, but that is where I believe my enviro-knowledge (and loyalty) stops.

I mean it’s become such a part of life where it’s boring to hear about sometimes, the subjects of enviro-warriors battling whalers or Green Peace demonstrations are a little fanatical for me, even vegetarianism is a bit much for me.

The environment is nice to look at, and holds many things to learn about, it is also a fun thing to celebrate on Earth Day and attracts frizzy-haired geniuses like David Suzuki so the environment is okay with me.