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50th EARTH DAY TAKES ON CLIMATE CHANGE Golden Anniversary Marks Call to Action
O With the ever-evolving COVID-19 situation causing uncertainty for citizens worldwide, Natural Awakenings is more committed than ever in supporting your health and well-being. For the latest updates on local events and information, visit us online at:
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Washington, D.C.
n April 22, 1970, 20 million Americans—10 percent of the nation—took to the streets and campuses to protest environmental degradation so severe that rivers were literally catching on fire. That groundswell was followed by the passage of landmark environmental laws, including the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, Endangered Species Act and the creation of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, laws soon adopted by many other countries. Half a century later, as temperatures approach 70 degrees in Antarctica, catastrophic wildfires race through Australia and species die off around the world, the planet’s status seems anything but golden. On this Earth Day, the climate crisis that precipitated these events and trends take center stage: The goal is to mobilize millions, perhaps billions, of Earth’s human inhabitants to rise up in its defense. “The urgency has never been greater and the stakes have never been higher,” say the organizers of the Earth Day Network. “We are now in an environmental emergency and a climate breakdown. The world needs you—and your actions—for Earth Day 2020.”
NaturalAwakeningsDC.com
To learn about personal actions, including step-by-step instructions on how to organize an event, consult EarthDay.org. Participants can join in a cleanup of trash from rivers, beaches, streets and forests; host a teach-in; take part in a climate strike or campus rally to show united action; join the world’s largest citizen science initiative to document declining environmental conditions and participate in social media campaigns to raise awareness. Millions of people now participate in Earth Day activities each year, making it the largest civic observance in the world. Participants can watch live performances by popular musicians, listen to speeches by celebrities, and participate in a number of green themed interactive exhibits and demonstrations. Help Washington, D.C. celebrate victories and support future progress by participating in local Earth Day 2020 events such as the Citizens’ Climate Lobby Outreach from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on April 18 on the National Mall. Coronavirus is causing a number of event cancellations; please check event websites to be sure that they are still being held.
