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…and a Reminder We All Need
by Rick LoBello, Education Program Manager, El Paso Zoo
On Saturday, we celebrated Earth Day at the Zoo.
For me, it was more than just another event. It was my 24th time helping organize this “birthday celebration” for our planet—and every year, it leaves me with the same feeling: hope.
Year after year, I watch something special unfold. Our partners show up. Our volunteers give their time with open hearts. Our staff works tirelessly to create meaningful experiences. And our community—families, children, neighbors—walk through the gates ready to connect with something bigger than themselves.
Here in El Paso, we are blessed. We have a place where people can come face to face with animals from around the world—creatures that represent ecosystems, cultures, and stories far beyond our desert home. And in those moments—when a child locks eyes with an animal for the first time, or when a family pauses to read a sign about conservation—something begins to change.
Awareness grows. Curiosity deepens. And hopefully, a sense of responsibility takes root.
That’s what Earth Day is really about.
But as I drove away at the end of the day—tired, grateful, and reflective—another thought stayed with me.
Yes, we need to care for the planet. That message is clear.
But we also need to care for each other.
Standing among those crowds today, surrounded by people who care, I was reminded that we are all part of the same living system. Just like the animals we work so hard to protect, we depend on one another in ways we don’t always acknowledge.
And yet, when you look at the world today, it’s not just climate change or biodiversity loss that threatens our future. It’s something deeper.
It’s how we treat one another.
We see it between nations—in conflict and war.
We see it within our own communities—in division, distrust, and disconnection.
And the truth is, we cannot solve the environmental challenges of our time if we cannot first learn to work together.
Conservation requires collaboration.
Hope requires unity.
And a better future depends on our ability to come together—not just as individuals, but as a shared human community.
Maybe that’s the message we don’t talk about enough on Earth Day.
If we truly want to protect this planet, we have to start by respecting the people who share it with us.
Because in the end, Earth Day isn’t just about saving wildlife or preserving landscapes.
It’s about recognizing that we are all connected—and choosing to act like it.
