Nestled between Easter and Mother’s Day, there’s a day of celebration that doesn’t get nearly the attention it deserves. There are no colored eggs, no flower bouquets and no over-sized mammals to entertain the children. This too-often-ignored holiday is Earth Day and we’re making sure every one remembers this April 22. Please join us.
Earth Day: Past, Present and Future
Senator Gaylord Nelson of Wisconsin proposed the first nationwide environmental protest - Earth Day - back in 1970. Twenty million Americans took to the streets, parks, and auditoriums to demonstrate for a healthy, sustainable environment. These massive rallies led to the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency and the passage of the Clean Air, Clean Water and Endangered Species Acts.
Today, there is still much work to do. Our forests are being destroyed at an unprecedented rate and our oceans are being polluted and overfished. This month marks the 20th anniversary of the Chernobyl disaster and yet President Bush is calling for an increase in nuclear energy.
Global warming is making headlines all across the country. On May 1, Arctic explorers, Lonnie Dupre and Eric Larsen, are setting off on an extreme expedition to highlight the crisis and draw attention to what may be the first victim: the polar bear. Find out all about their journey on ProjectThinIce.org
You don't need to go to the North Pole to stop global warming. Right now, there are two urgent actions you can take. Senators are debating legislation that would kill America's first offshore wind farm. Contact them and tell them to support Cape Wind. Also, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is considering listing the polar bear under the Endangered Species Act. Fight to protect the polar bear.
We're standing up to governments and corporations and demanding change. Stand with us this Earth Day and every day.