4 Actions to Celebrate the 40th Earth Day

Happy Earth Day! Here at EDF, we debated how to honor the 40th Earth Day. Should we celebrate? Should we commemorate? Well, as an advocacy organization, we thought it would be most appropriate to ask you to activate. Here are 4 actions you can take right now to show your commitment to environmental progress: 1) Climate: There is no environmental issue more urgent than climate change. And the Senate is poised to bring up new legislation as early as next week, giving us perhaps our last, best hope to solve the climate crisis. Please take action now: Tell your Senators to support a strong climate and energy bill. 2) Health: America's toxic chemical standards are outdated and weak. Of more than 80,000 chemicals that have entered the market, only about 200 have been required to be tested. Every American alive today, including newborn babies, has hundreds of these chemicals flowing through our bloodstreams. Please take action now: Tell your members of Congress to support stronger toxic chemicals standards. 3) Oceans: America's fisheries are in trouble – Overfishing, wasteful bycatch and other threats are pushing our fisheries to the brink and endangering our marine ecosystems. But an innovative fishery management tool called catch shares offers hope. Please take action now: Tell your members of Congress to support funding for new catch shares. 4) Wildlife: Thanks to hard-won conservation funding in the 2008 Farm Bill, ranchers, farmers and other private landowners can be rewarded for helping protect America's endangered wildlife. But a new Senate proposal would cut these critical conservation resources. Please take action now: Tell your Senators to protect conservation initiatives in the Farm Bill. Since the first Earth Day 40 years ago, much has changed in the environmental movement -- from tougher environmental standards to new environmental threats. But one thing hasn't changed -- we still rely on the power of grassroots activism to promote strong environmental policies. Yes, we hope you celebrate Earth Day today. But we also hope you'll activate and support our priority programs with your voice. Happy Earth Day, Environmental Defense Fund http://support.edf.org/site/MessageViewer?em_id=9761.0&dlv_id=17021