Earth Day’s 50th Anniversary
Earth Day began in 1970, as a response to increasing public consciousness about the state of the planet. Images the Apollo astronauts shared, of a fragile, interconnected blue sphere in space changed the way we viewed our planet and environment. Fifty years later, the efforts to protect and restore earth’s ecosystems are ongoing, and with thanks to individual and group action, are increasingly effective. Each one of us is a necessary part of this change.
Connecting the Pandemic to Climate
The current pandemic crisis “really brings home what matters to all of us. What matters is the same for all of us. It’s the health and safety of our friends, our family, our loved ones, our communities, our cities and our country. That’s what the coronavirus pandemic threatens, and that’s exactly what climate change does, too.”
- Dr. Katherine Hayhoe, a climate scientist at Texas Tech and an author of the federal government’s leading climate change report, the National Climate Assessment, quoted in the New York Times on 3/18/20.
Climate Action is Health Action
COVID-19 not only foreshadows what the effects of climate change may bring, it also is a reminder that our planet is made up of interdependent systems. When one or more of these systems is out of balance, stability of all is threatened. Warmer climates, melting permafrost, and deforestation all increase the potential for the release and spread of new and existing viruses. Every action you take to heal the planet also has the potential to improve health.
Earth Day Bingo
Here are some ideas on things to do to celebrate Earth Day this year, in Emeryville’s Earth Day Bingo!
Complete five in a row (any straight line) and enter to win Chinook Books, recycling equipment, and more. Take a photo or screenshot of your completed Bingo card and send it to zerowaste@emeryville.org by April 30 to be entered into the drawing. If you would like to add any tips you learned or ideas you have, we’d love to hear them.
Learn More
For more information and activities, visit Emeryville’s Virtual Recreation Center or the SF Environment climate action page for activities for youth and families, free books and films, virtual events, or a virtual vacation from home.