As the oldest WVD staff member and a lifetime tree-hugger, (I was 6 weeks old on my first camping trip!) I have been nominated to welcome you to this month’s WVD newsletter. Please enjoy this issue, dedicated to Earth Day, April 22, 2025.
In April 1970, I was a senior in high school when the first Earth Day occurred. My high school celebrated by hosting a day of education about the dangers of fluorocarbons in aerosols, the wasting of trees by not recycling paper, the dual threat of water and air pollution, and what was then labelled the population bomb, which many felt was going to make life on Earth unbearable. There were movements to save polar bears and seals, and to conserve energy, once we realized oil was a finite resource. People worked for the greater good and didn’t consider it infringing on their way of life. Call it naivete, but I was certain that with so much positive energy geared towards finding solutions, the future of humanity – and life itself – was bright.
No doubt that the current state of affairs, both in my country and beyond, is challenging the most optimistic among us, but at WVD, we never give up hope. Working with our team of committed young people from dozens of countries, World Vasectomy Day inspires people to create the family size of their choice consciously, and not only to offer our children greater abundance, but to protect this planet’s extraordinary diversity. They remind me daily that giving up is not an option, and that fighting for what you believe is not only a good thing, but the right one as well.
My hope?
That we choose leaders and support investments that operate from the principle, ‘do no harm’, who opt for the greater good when choosing where to invest and what to manufacture, and work towards a fair distribution of wealth. Certainly, equitable access to quality family planning care and the protection of reproductive rights are among the most efficient and cost-effective ways of ensuring a future we all deserve.
Yes, I believe in the progress that science and technology bring, but rather than dreaming of colonies on Mars, we need to learn to work together to aggregate all the good in humanity to protect what we have right here on the Earth. What will you do in honor of Earth Day this year? Please let me know! 📨
Director of Special Projects
