Today is the 40th anniversary of Earth Day. An event which is even now being celebrated around the world and has even caught the attention of the American President whose Earth Day message is a clear challenge to Americans to take up the banner on behalf of the environment.
“I want you to take action – in your home or your community; at your school or your business – to improve our environment,” the President said. “It can be as simple as riding the bus or the subway to work, making your home more energy efficient, or organizing your neighbours to clean up a nearby park.”
“In the end it’s people like you – the small business owners and community leaders; the teachers and the students; the young people and the grandparents – who have made Earth Day so successful,” said Obama. “And it’s going to be up to you to make an even bigger difference over the next 40 years,” he said.
As part of his America’s Great Outdoors initiative President Obama was in Washington last Friday President hosting a conference to promote and support innovative community level efforts to conserve outdoor spaces and reconnect Americans to the great outdoors.
Speaking at the conference, President Obama said, “Even in times of crisis, we’re called to take the long view to preserve our national heritage – because in doing so we fulfil one of the responsibilities that falls to all of us as Americans, and as inhabitants of this same small planet.”
Members of the Obama administration will, over the next few months, host regional listening sessions all over America to collate ideas for what the President is calling a 21st century strategy for America’s great outdoors.
“Understand, we’re not talking about a big federal agenda being driven out of Washington,” Obama assured leaders representing the conservation, farming, ranching, sporting, recreation, forestry, private industry, local parks and academia communities from all 53 states and territories.
“We’re talking about how we can collect best ideas on conservation; how we can pursue good ideas that local communities embrace; and how we can be more responsible stewards of tax dollars to promote conservation,” the President said.
“First, we’re going to build on successful conservation efforts being spearheaded outside of Washington – by local and state governments, by tribes, and by private groups – so we can write a new chapter in the protection of rivers, wildlife habitats, historic sites, and the great landscapes of our country,” Obama said.
“Secondly, we’re going to help farmers, ranchers, property owners who want to protect their lands for their children and their grandchildren,” he said.
“Third, we’ll help families spend more time outdoors, building on what the First Lady has done through the Let’s Move initiative to encourage young people to hike and bike and get outside more often,” said Obama.
“And fourth, we want to foster a new generation of community and urban parks so that children across America have the chance to experience places like Millennium Park in my own Chicago,” he said.
On Friday Obama signed a Presidential Memorandum establishing the America’s Great Outdoors Initiative. In coordination with the Department of Defence, Commerce, Housing and Urban Development, Health and Human Services, Labour, Transportation, Education and the Office of Management and Budget the Memorandum calls on the Secretaries of the Interior and of Agriculture, the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Chair of the Council on Environmental Quality to lead the initiative.
Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar said, “President Obama’s America’s Great Outdoors Initiative will start a much-needed dialogue about conservation in our country so that we can hear directly from Americans about the places they care about and how they are working to protect them.”
“Too many of our cities have limited access to parks for children, low-income residents and communities of colour,” said EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson. “Improving access to open areas and green space in our urban communities should be a focus of a 21st century conservation strategy.”
“Today, with 80% of Americans living in cities and suburbs, it is more important than ever for people to have access to outdoor space,” said CEQ Chair Nancy Sutley. “Just as we cherish our childhood memories of hiking and sledding, fishing and camping, and just as we enjoy spending time outdoors with our families, we must guard these places and traditions for new generations.”
It was yesterday that the State Department commemorated the 40th anniversary of Earth Day along with the first anniversary of Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton’s Greening Diplomacy Initiative. During the event the State Department formally launched the D.C. Forum for Greening Embassies. The aim of the forum will be to convene foreign missions to exchange ideas on environmental issues and operational practices.
Vice President Biden also made an announcement yesterday related to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act’s $80 billion investment in clean energy and initiatives promoting energy efficiency. He was joined by the Secretary of Energy Steven Chu as he delivered remarks to environmental leaders as well as state and local officials at the White House.
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