After all the digging and seeding and planting and weeding and watering and weeding and fencing and weeding, it sure is nice to see some fruits of my labor. That’s right, I got some actual vegetables growing in my garden. And last night, I ATE one!

To be truthful, this little cherry tomato was slightly green, but it tasted oh SOOOO good, just because I nurtured it!

I can’t wait for more!

Not too long ago, there was talk about drilling off the coast of Virginia. I was not happy. After the BP incident in the Gulf of Mexico, I was frightened. Every year I look forward to visiting the beaches of Maryland, Virginia and North Carolina, and I’d be devastated if MY beaches looked like the beaches in the Gulf.

Luckily we haven’t started drilling in the Atlantic yet. And our beaches still look awesome. We still have challenges with pollution from runoff to our rivers and to the Chesapeake Bay, but we’re working on it. Let’s keep it that way!

I just took a trip to Chincoteague, Virginia. I really enjoyed seeing the wildlife refuge there and all of the coastal and wetland creatures, including pelicans similar to the ones we’re seeing covered in oil down in Louisiana.

Let’s cut our losses. Damage like we’re seeing in the Gulf, like we saw from the Exxon Valdez, can’t happen if the oil rigs aren’t there.

It’s now been more than a month since this oil rig exploded, killing 11 people and in my mind demonstrating clearly that even the best minds in energy science do not have the equipment or plan in place for responding to the worst-case scenarios in deep-water drilling.

We’re still having a hard time keeping coal mining safe, and that’s been going on for decades. I’m personally shocked that the government would provide permits for drilling in an area where even the government doesn’t have adequate underwater vehicles. It’s apparently just too darn deep.

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On Hardball with Chris Matthews, I saw Sylvia Earle of National Geographic say,

We (the USA) haven‘t made the investment to have a garage filled with submarines, a garage filled with remotely-operated systems, (nor in) the talent to be able to go down independently of industry and respond. (video above)

In other words, the oil industry HAS to fix it because they are the only ones that HAVE THE TOOLS.

That is petrifying.

I am furious because I feel so helpless. I have worked hard to live an environmentally friendly life. But a worse case scenario in the Gulf could potentially ruin my visit to a North Carolina beach. Do you see how huge this thing is? This is right in our backyard, DC. Not cool.

The truth is that together we could have prevented this, and we can prevent another incident like this if we all do our part to get out of the oil slick. Go green. Ask for alternative energies. A wind farm will never cause problems like this. Solar panels don’t even have to change the landscape of your neighborhood. Recycle. Buy from farmers’ markets. Use public transportation. Every little bit helps.

Above all, write your Representative and Senator in Congress and let them know that offshore drilling needs to stop now.

I got to know Earth Day as an activist holiday in college. I remember celebrating the 20th Earth Day — I even have a friend who was born on the first Earth Day. (Happy birthday, Hal!) I grew up when litter was a big environmental issue — people actually thought it was normal to throw trash out the window when driving down the highway. Can you imagine? Pollution and oil spills were also big environmental news.

Anyway, I am now flabbergasted to stop and realize that the electric cars that we thought were crazy futuristic ideas are now actually in people’s garages. Even seeing real solar panels on roofs in my neighborhood is truly amazing. Our cars are regularly checked for dangerous emissions. We have come a long way.

In Arlington County, Virginia, where I live, residents are given recycling bins by the government along with our trash bins. In those bins, we can put as much commingled recyclable material as will fit, from office paper to glass, including newspaper, cardboard and all sorts of plastics. This is such a grand luxury as compared to life in the 70s and 80s.

So, I just want to say a big THANK YOU to all the Earth Day rallies before us. It’s all the banner-waving, litter-gathering folks (including me and some of my friends) that came before today that got us here. All the folks that made laborious trips to the recycling center with big sacks of stinky beer cans and bottles convinced counties and cities that collecting recyclables is worth it. Petitions and protests against pollution have cleaned our air and improved working conditions. Scientists have worked hard on green technology that now easily fits into our daily lives.

So today, as you think about global warming or alternative energy sources, or ocean preservation or national parks or whatever your favorite part of Earth Day is, remember that we have done some good over the last 40 years. Know that change is possible, and be proud of our big gorgeous, vibrant planet (still erupting and quaking and everything) and celebrate today!

Some of my favorite green causes:

• EarthLab — a comprehensive learning site.
• The Nature Conservancy — protecting Earth’s most important natural places — for you and future generations — through great science and smart partnerships.
• Chesapeake Bay Foundation — the bay will always need protecting!
• Environmental Defense Fund — linking science, economics and law to create solutions to our environmental problems.
• U.S. National Park Service — treasures we should guard for generations to come, and enjoy now.
• Rails-to-Trails Conservancy — creating a network of trails from former rail lines.
• Surfrider Foundation — protecting the coastal environments, promoting low-impact use of the beaches, waves and oceans.
• Live Earth — What does the 40th Earth Day mean to you?
• Repower America — Together, we can solve the climate crisis. Join the movement calling for clean energy HERE (and enjoy a great remix video).

Also read: 4 ways to celebrate Earth Day

Now it’s been two weeks since I planted my seeds in my indoor light box, and I am pretty darn impressed with me! Check out these sprouts!

This is a close-up look at a cucumber sprout, it blows my mind how much progress these sprouts make in a day. Look at how these tiny little guys can carry a load of dirt with them as they push out of the ground. I am mystified!

I am still waiting for the green peppers to sprout, but they are supposed to be on a bit longer schedule. Importantly, we have jalepeño sprouts, which will keep my hubby happy. The outdoor garden is prepped for transplanting, so some of these plants may be moving outside tomorrow. I’ve already planted some carrots and lettuce outside, and I refilled the bird feeder with some small hope that it will distract the birds and squirrels from my garden. Ha!

Looking forward to hearing your gardening stories here or on Twitter!

ALSO SEE: How will my garden grow? • Germination!

I’m happy to report that after one week, we have germination of both cucumber and tomato seeds!

The tomatoes are sure to be carried away by my squirrel friends if I plant them all outside, but my husband has suggested that we try growing them indoor all summer. If this experiment continues to work well, I may try growing them both indoors and out.

I’ll keep you posted!

ALSO SEE: How will my garden grow?

I’ve skipped growing vegetables for a couple of years for no good reason *lazy* and last year I got some rather loud complaints that our fresh jalapeños were missing. Many of the tomatoes and cucumbers went missing even in the years I maintained a garden, thanks to the squirrels. But the jalapeños are safe from the woodland critters, because our Northern Virginia critters apparently do not like the spicy food we do.

So, here I go again. We need jalapeños! I found a great book at a holiday book sale this year — The Veggie Gardener’s Answer Book by Barbara Ellis — and I’ve been reading it through all our snowstorms to keep me thinking spring. In addition, I’ve been catching up on a great TV show, Weeds, which inspired me to get started on seedlings with an indoor light box.

The photo is of my indoor seedling starter setup. I’m starting cherry tomatoes, jalapeños, peppers and cucumbers in the light box. More to come when I move the seedlings outside after the frost. I invested about $15 in seeds from Whole Foods and $3 in some topsoil, which I mixed with some leftover soil I had in the pots you see here. The frame is an old aquarium, which is providing both the primary light and the timer, not to mention protection from my cats during the day. Wish me luck!

Are you planting this spring?