Since when does corporate America listen to anyone?

The answer is, when a movement is so powerful, it becomes fiscally important, and even necessary, to listen to a vocal consumer base.

That's exactly what is happening in response to a growing number of Americans identifying themselves as concerned about the planet's health.

Yesterday's Earth Day celebrations saw a marked improvement in the way many big businesses treat environmentalism at home in the Northwest and across the nation.

Home Depot, for example, gave out 1 million Compact Fluorescent Lightbulbs to shoppers. King County Metro offered free rides on all regularly scheduled bus routes. Some Whole Foods stores across the country gave out reusable green bags to customers who spent $100 or more.

The exciting thing is that these changes have been brought about by consumer advocacy. It takes one person noticing a lack of recycling bins in a business to mention this oversight to management.

This year, the overwhelming media coverage of Earth Day indicates that caring for the environment has become trendy. We're hoping that this trend becomes an all-encompassing movement that doesn't die down until next year.

That's why we're advocating that UW students make Earth Day resolutions. Similar to New Year's resolutions, students can make environmentalism a part of their daily lives by making a simple, Earth-friendly commitment.

One such resolution could be to turn the water off while brushing your teeth. Another could be to bring your own coffee cup to your morning coffee shop instead of getting that to-go cup. Or, consider giving up bottled water and using your own bottle instead.

How we handle global warming — and returning the planet to a livable state for both humans and other species we share space with — will be the legacy of our generation.

Thanks to the latest scientific research, we now know what we need to do to reduce the harmful impact humans have had on the environment. Now is the time to save the planet by using the steam from this growing movement to propel us.