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President Obama's Earth Day Address: Action on Climate Change Cannot Wait (Video)

April 25, 2015 Add Comment Edit

On Earth Day April 22 President Obama visited the Florida Everglades for Earth Day and spoke about the urgent need for action on climate change. The President called on Congress to support the Land and Water Conservation Fund. He spoke about the importance of providing access to nature and announced that he will be providing free access to America's national parks.

"I cant think of a better way to spend Earth Day than in one our nations greatest national treasures the Everglades" the President said. "Action [on climate change] can no long be delayed."

Here are some excerpts of the President's comments:

This [climate change] is not a problem for another generation. Not anymore. This is a problem now. It has serious implications for the way we live right now. Stronger storms. Deeper droughts. Longer wildfire seasons. The world’s top climate scientists are warning that a changing climate already affects the air that our children are breathing. The Surgeon General and I recently met with doctors and nurses and parents who see patients and kids grappling with the health impacts. The Pentagon says that climate change poses an increasing set of risks to our national security.

So climate change can no longer be denied. It can’t be edited out. It can’t be omitted from the conversation. And action can no longer be delayed. And that’s why I’ve committed the United States to lead the world in combating this threat.

The steps we’ve taken over the last several years are already making a difference. We’re using more clean energy than ever before. America is number one in wind power, and last year we generated 20 times more electricity from sunlight than we did in all of 2008 -- 20 times.

We’ve committed to doubling the pace at which we cut carbon pollution. China, in part because of our actions, has now committed for the first time to limit their emissions. And this means that there’s new hope that this year the world will finally reach an agreement to prevent the worst impacts of climate change before it’s too late.

We’re wasting less energy, with more fuel-efficient cars that save people money at the pump, and more energy-efficient buildings that save us money on our electricity bills.

So more clean energy, improved energy efficiency -- these steps can help us avoid some of the worst effects of climate change down the road. But we also have to prepare for the effects of climate change that we’re already too late to avoid. If you think about it, this is like we’re hitting the brakes on a car, but the car is not going to come to a complete halt right away. So some of these changes are already happening, and even if we take the right steps, we’re going to have to make some adaptations.

And that’s why we’ve been working with cities and states to build more resilient infrastructure and restore natural defenses like wetlands. And today, I want to announce new actions to protect our national parks and our public lands, and the communities that rely on them.

First, we’re releasing a report showing that every dollar invested in the National Park Service generates $10 for the economy. In 2014, almost 300 million visitors to our national parks spent almost $16 billion and supported 277,000 jobs. So protecting our parks is a smart thing to do for our economy. That’s why I’ve set aside more public lands and waters than any administration in history.

We’re also working with farmers and ranchers and forest land owners to reduce net greenhouse gas emissions. I’m going to keep doing everything I can to prepare and protect America from the worst effects of climate change, including fighting for clean air, clean water.

...you do not have time to deny the effects of climate change...This is not some impossible problem that we cannot solve. We can solve it if we’ve got some political will. And we can solve it in a way that creates jobs. We can solve it in a way that doesn’t disrupt our economy but enhances our economy. And it’s a bipartisan issue.

On the way in, I was talking to some folks about the fact that Teddy Roosevelt, he’s a Republican -- started our National Park System. Richard Nixon started the EPA. George H.W. Bush was the first President, globally, to acknowledge the impacts of climate change and that we needed to do something about it. This is not something that historically should be a partisan issue.

Five years ago, local leaders down here, Republicans and Democrats, formed the bipartisan Southeast Florida Regional Climate Change Compact -- an agreement to work together to fight climate change. (Applause.) And it’s become a model not just for the country, but for the world.

It’s the type of mission that Americans from all walks of life are taking on -- from the CEOs of some of our biggest corporations and utilities, to student organizations across the country. Because they know that simply refusing to say the words “climate change” doesn’t mean that climate change isn’t happening.

And we know that in our own lives. If you’ve got a coming storm, you don’t stick your head in the sand; you prepare for the storm. You make sure our communities are prepared for climate change. And that’s an economic imperative. Protecting the one planet we’ve got is what we have to do for the next generation...That’s what we do as Americans, take responsibility and leave behind for our children something special.

And we are blessed with the most beautiful God-given landscape in the world. It’s an incredible bounty that’s been given to us. But we’ve got to be good stewards for it. We have to take care of it.

...it’s our turn to ensure that this remains the birthright of all Americans for generations to come. So many people here are active in your communities, doing what’s needed. The young people who are here, the next generation, they’re way ahead of us in understanding how important this is. Let’s make sure we don’t disappoint them. Let’s stand up and do what’s right before it’s too late.

Related
Responding to Grist's Anti-Earth Day Rants
Earth Day Review of American Environmental Attitudes
The Importance of Science and Nature on Earth Day
Earth Day Activities and Actions in the US and Canada
Earth Day 2015: The Marriage of Economic Growth and Sustainability

Responding to Grist's Anti-Earth Day Rants

April 23, 2015 Add Comment Edit

Each year Grist likes to condescendingly whine about all the things they hate about Earth Day. This year in an article titled, Why Earth Day Doesn't Matter Anymore, they argue that the day has "lost its relevance." This could not be further from the truth. As we head towards a global climate agreement at the end of the year in Paris popular support for environmental action has never been more important. While Grist does provide a lot of great content, their anti-Earth-Day diatribes create divisions that are harmful to the growth of the environmental movement.

In their own self-righteous style they are speaking to their readership and offering what they deem to be poignant commentary (their audience is largely composed of deep greens who relish showering disdain on those who are not quite as ecologically pure). However, their righteous indignation and highfalutin derision is unproductive.

Here is a Green Market Oracle article written in response to another derisive anti-business Earth Day hate-fest:

Earth Day is an important day for business, collectively companies are spending tens of millions on Green marketing. But others have expressed their concerns that Earth Day constitutes little more than another over-commercialized marketing event. As Natalie Zmuda writes in an AdAge.com article, "It's Earth Day: Time to consume more to save the planet."

Others are even more cynical, "My concern is that some companies just view [Earth Day] as a marketing event, like Thanksgiving or Christmas," said Larry Light, chairman-CEO of Arcature, a management consulting firm. "Then they've fulfilled their obligation for the rest of the year. The whole issue of sustainability means that a commitment also has to be sustainable. If it's only for one day, then it's a marketing event."

Some are resolute in their dismissal of Earth Day. "Earth Day's usefulness has passed," said Alex Steffen, executive editor of World Changing, a sustainability blog. "The idea that we're going to direct our attention to the planet for a day or a week ... is not a sufficient response anymore. An awful lot of people view Earth Day as the time to express the idea that they are sympathetic to change. We need to move from being sympathetic to change to actually changing things."

For years Grist has derided Earth Day, two years ago David Roberts was complaining about it, noting that it wasn't enough, saying “The time for "small steps" is long past. It's time for people to wake the hell up.” This year Grist unveiled a campaign titled Screw Earth Day. The purists behind Screw the Earth think that we do not do enough to get the message across. They feel we need to do more to protect the environment. As they explain, “It’s not about a single day, dude, it’s about living green every day.”

Grist's Roberts points out, "Green is all the hype everywhere. So you might think that the public would be engaged in this push....polls find public interest as low as ever, and opinion about climate and energy policy is as inchoate and incoherent as ever. There are no rallies. There are no emails and letters and phone calls streaming into Congressional offices. There is no real social movement behind energy/climate action. There’s nothing to push a recalcitrant member of Congress in the right direction."

Although Mr Roberts may be correct about the hype surrounding Earth Day, he is wrong on just about every other count. Earlier this year, one Billion people around the world turned out their lights to vote for climate change action during Earth Hour and today another billion are expected to get involved with Earth Day events. The social momentum of environmental interest is obvious and irrefutable. This is an important period of transition, and although the mediums by which this interest will express itself are not yet fully formed, the mechanisms of change are coalescing.

Contrary to Mr Robert's assertions, public interest in the environment is not low, studies are finding that despite the recession the interest in Green continues. Early in 2009 Joel Makower pointed this out as the one constant from the polling data on consumer environmental attitudes, "Vast majorities of consumers say they have adopted greener habits in their daily lives, and shop for at least some products with a keen eye on their environmental provenance and energy and climate impacts. In other words: the marketplace is getting greener -- way greener."

At least one criticism is well founded. As more companies and marketers jump on the Earth Day bandwagon it is evident that some are guilty of masking environmentally destructive practices under the guise of environmental sensitivity. This practice, commonly referred to as greenwashing, dilutes the integrity of Green branding efforts. And this prompts concerns that consumers will stop paying attention to Green altogether.

Earth Day is not only an opportunity to move product, such events also exert pressure on companies to improve their environmental record. All companies who promote sales in conjunction with Earth Day open themselves to scrutiny. Unsubstantiated Green claims or associations will be exposed and this could prove detrimental to a company's reputation. Although some companies are guilty of greenwashing they will be punished by consumers and legislators.

The business community is an important contributor to the environmental crises we are confronting and they are an equally important part of the solution. Forward looking companies understand that greenwashing is simply counterproductive, these companies know that the best and most enduring way to position themselves is through earnest environmental initiatives that have integrity. That is why many companies are already looking well beyond events like Earth Day and emboldening their commitment to sustainable business practices.

For business, Earth Day is a marketing opportunity, and as such an opportunity to grow profits and increase market share, but businesses are also using Earth Day to fund environmental projects and raise awareness about the environment. If the world is to change, people's attitudes must change and public events like Earth Day are an important part of the transition to a Greener world. Earth Day engages people and helps to transform the wider culture.

Although it is easy to respect the dedication of many Green activists, it is sometimes difficult to understand the approach of certain eco-purists. The anger they vent as they rail against popular movements like Earth-day seems at times incomprehensible. It is easy to appreciate the purists' roles as watchdogs and stalwart activists, even their impatience has its place, but at times their comments detract from the urgency of the Green message.

As a force within the broader efforts eco-purists serve a valuable purpose, but when they hijack the mainstream discussion, they foster anger, apathy and cynicism. Environmental extremists may attract a core of misanthropes, but they alienate the general public and send businesses looking for loopholes instead of contributing to the discussion. Thankfully many corporate leaders are participating in finding solutions, and many more appear ready to follow.

Are eco-purists trying to help the planet or as it sometimes appears, do they prefer distancing people with unproductive vitriol? Some purists go so far as to call for a revolution that does away with capitalism and the whole free market system. However, it is clear to almost everyone that these nihilistic reveries do not serve people or the planet.

More reasonable approaches envision ways of bringing about change without bloodying our streets. It seems obvious that the most expedient change will occur by working within our system. For example, proposed climate change legislation in the US would put a price on carbon emissions and unleash the power of free markets expediting an efficient transition to a carbon restricted world. Perhaps the most reasonable approach involves sending a loud message to our elected representatives.

As purists rue the popularity of Earth Day, Green businesses are taking advantage of the opportunity to highlight their Green initiatives and eco-entrepreneurs are hopeful that events like Earth Day will expedite the task of bringing their innovations to market. Earth Day is effectively turning the wheels of our free market economy.

Sadly some green-purists appear confused, they fail to understand that sustainable consumerism is not the enemy it is the goal. Their cynical rants further serve to illustrate that their approach does not engage the public nor influence politicians.

Admittedly, Earth Day is a highly commercialized event, but those who criticize should remember that commerce is the language of action. If we are to see a Greener world, businesses must not only be amongst those who contribute solutions, they must lead.

For businesses and consumers, Earth Day is about more than a point on a calendar. The Earth Day event has amplified a message that will reverberate throughout the year.

Related
Earth Day Review of American Environmental Attitudes
The Importance of Science and Nature on Earth Day
Earth Day Activities and Actions in the US and Canada
Earth Day 2015: The Marriage of Economic Growth and Sustainability

Earth Day Review of American Environmental Attitudes

April 22, 2015 Add Comment Edit

A review of polling results reveals the sad truth about US attitudes on climate change. Despite the plethora of science and media coverage American attitudes on climate change are the same today as they were in 1989. Americans claim they want greener products and services and they also claim that they want corporations to be greener, however this is not reflected in their actual buying behavior.

In an article titled "Earth Day and the polling of America 2015" Joel Makower comments on the theory that a strong economy lends itself to greater environmental concern. However, he observes the opposite appears to be true, as Americans feel more economically secure the level of environmental concern has decreased or remained static.

His review of public opinion polls over the last eight years leads him to conclude that the level of environmental concern has stalled in the US. Americans appear to be enamored with the fossil fuel boom in the US and less than preoccupied with the associated environmental impacts.

Although Americans are somewhat concerned about clean air and water, they are relatively unconcerned about climate change, declining biodiversity and even species extinction.

According to the most recent Gallup poll the number of Americans that believe global warming is happening already or will happen in their lifetime is 65 percent. That is exactly the same percentage as in 1989. The Gallup poll is corroborated by research from the Pew Research Center’s annual policy priorities survey in which the Environment ranked 13th and global warming ranked 22nd (next to last).

However other polls have produced different results. A 2014 poll by Tiller LLC, suggested that Americans have a "deep and growing concern for the environment.” This poll indicated that climate change ranked abouve terrorism and global epidemics as the greatest long term threat to their health and well being. The Tiller LLC survey found that women are more concerned about the shape of the environment than men.

According to a November 2014 University of Texas Energy Poll, young Americans are more likely to vote for a candidate who wants to address climate change. A study conducted by Ipsos Public Affairs on behalf of Avaaz reveals that almost all (94 percent) of high school students believe in the veracity of climate change and 80 percent attribute it to human activity.

A national survey conducted by KSV, revealed that Hispanics and African-Americans are almost twice as likely to be interested in energy efficiency as their white counterparts.

The Tiller survey said that more than three quarters of Americans (78 percent) believe it is important to “purchase products from a socially or environmentally responsible company.” And 43 percent said they have declined to buy a product over the past year out of concern for the effect the product or its packaging might have on the environment.

In the same survey Americans attributed the behavior or environmentally responsible corporations to regulatory or competitive reasons rather than altruistic motives. However, 72 percent of respondents indicated that they do not care why a company goes green as long as they do so.

Makeover commented on these results saying, "a number of environmental polls suggest that most Americans are ready and willing to make purchasing, investing and career choices based on their high levels of environmental concern, even if their actual choices don't reflect such high levels of commitment."

Related
President Obama's Earth Day Address: Action on Climate Change Cannot Wait (Video)
Responding to Grist's Anti-Earth Day Rants
The Importance of Science and Nature on Earth Day
Earth Day Activities and Actions in the US and Canada
Earth Day 2015: The Marriage of Economic Growth and Sustainability

The Importance of Science and Nature on Earth Day

April 22, 2015 Add Comment Edit

One scientist and sustainability expert suggests we should go outside and play so that we can connect with nature on Earth Day.

Meg Lowman, is the Chief of Science and Sustainability at the California Academy of Sciences. She pioneered the science of canopy ecology which earned her the monikers, “Real-Life Lorax,” "Canopy Meg" and “Einstein of the treetops.” She is also a biologist, educator, and ecologist. Her personal mantra is “no child left indoors.”

In a Net Impact article, Lowman laments the scientific illiteracy of most American, particularly children. Never have we needed to understand science and appreciate nature more than today, she explains.

Understanding the science of climate change, biodiversity loss, species extinction, resource depletion, ocean acidification and other environmental concerns is essential if we are to forge a more sustainable relationship with our planet.

Lowman references the well-known book "Last Child in the Woods," by Richard Louv. In this book Louv analyzed the societal problems that have arisen in American youth who have generally lost contact with natural science. This leads to a condition Louv calls “nature-deficit disorder” as the human cost of alienation from nature, including diminished use of the senses, attention difficulties, and higher rates of physical and emotional illnesses.

"For Earth Day this year, why not pledge to enjoy the natural world and – if you can – take a kid with you? Climb a tree, watch a spider build a web, photograph spring flowers, download the iNaturalist app, or simply bring some leaves indoors. You don’t really have to get muddy while you’re at it, but why not? If anyone asks, tell them a scientist told you to do it."

As Rachel Carson said, “Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth find reserves of strength that will endure as long as life lasts.”

In an era where life on earth is threatened by climate change, people need to understand science so that they can make responsible decisions in their own lives and at the ballot box.

We need to oppose those that seek to deride science to serve their own partisan interests. We need to confront the lies from the anti-science advocacy of the fossil fuel lobby and their political minions that threaten the future of civilization.

If we are to cultivate a passion for nature and the science which explains it, we need to get outdoors and be part of it.

Related
President Obama's Earth Day Address: Action on Climate Change Cannot Wait (Video)
Responding to Grist's Anti-Earth Day Rants
Earth Day Review of American Environmental Attitudes
Earth Day Activities and Actions in the US and Canada
Earth Day 2015: The Marriage of Economic Growth and Sustainability

Earth Day Activities and Actions in the US and Canada

April 22, 2015 Add Comment Edit

Earth Day activities include a full slate of sustainability-conscious events and conservation efforts. This includes contests, awards, petitions, marches, parties, lectures, discussion groups, bike rides, tree planting, trash collection, film screenings and art projects.

While Earth Day is officially celebrated on April 22, there have been a number of actions that have taken place in the month of April and throughout the year. As part of an annual program called "One Billion Acts of Green," there have been well over one billion pledges and the goal is two billion.

Earth Day Activities and Actions in the US

In the US there are a range of activities promoted on Earth Day. One of these projects is called the Canopy Project. This initiative work with tree planting organizations around the world to ensure our trees are reaching people who need them most. The Canopy Project is an official partner of the United Nations Environment Programme’s Billion Trees Campaign

There is also a climate petition that seeks to tell local, national and international leaders to phase out carbon. Another endeavor seeks to encourage Congress to fund environmental education. People are also being asked to pledge to reduce their energy consumption.

To search Earth Day activities and actions in the US click here.

Earth Day Activities and Actions in Canada

In Canada Earth Day annually garners the support of more than six million people. Earth Day Canada is a platform for a wide range of events that celebrate environmentally sustainable lifestyles and promote actions and behavior that actively tackle climate change.

Events in Canada include things like Clean Your Commute. Other Canadian activities include the Earth Day Everyday Campaign, 2015 Earth Flag.

While Earth Day is celebrated on April 22 it is actually espouses environmentally responsible behavior year round. The "Earth Day Every Day" campaign includes a new user-friendly tool that is being launched on April 22nd. It is designed to help people make good green choices year round. This online, mobile-friendly platform supports your commitment to green acts, tracks your carbon progress, and encourages you to share and be recognized for your achievements.

The 2015 Earth Flag project is a national petition signed by people who are committed to making Earth Day Every Day and are doing their part to reduce carbon emissions 20% by 2020. The 2015 Earth Flag will be taken to the COP21 International Climate Conference in Paris this December.

To search Earth Day activities in Canada click here.

Related
President Obama's Earth Day Address: Action on Climate Change Cannot Wait (Video)
Responding to Grist's Anti-Earth Day Rants
Earth Day Review of American Environmental Attitudes
The Importance of Science and Nature on Earth Day
Earth Day 2015: The Marriage of Economic Growth and Sustainability

Earth Day 2015: The Marriage of Economic Growth and Sustainability

April 22, 2015 Add Comment Edit

Each year Earth Day celebrated on April 22 and 2015 marks the 45th anniversary of this international environmental protection event. Earth Day is the largest civic observance in the world today. All around our planet a billion people will participate in thousands of events. Almost 2 billion "acts of green" will take place on and around the day to demonstrate support for a healthier environment and a sustainable life. Earth Day was first celebrated in the US in 1970 and now more than 192 countries are involved. The inaugural event saw 20 million Americans showing their support for the environment. The movement contributed to the creation of the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the passage of the Clean Air, Clean Water, and Endangered Species Acts.
For more information on the history of Earth Day click here.