40th Anniversary of Earth Day
Since 1970, April 22, Earth Day, has been a day of awareness and education about our environmental challenges and the solutions that are needed. As always, our goal is to inform Canadians of the great need to preserve and improve our environmental protection laws.
“We are starting to see a deeper understanding that protecting the earth also means protecting our economy and protecting our heath – it is all interconnected,” said Green Leader Elizabeth May. “We have made a lot of progress since Earth Day started in 1970 but now we are faced with a global crisis and we have a long way to go.”
"Having organized for the first Earth Day when I was in Grade 10, I can rejoice from personal experience all of our victories -- getting phosphates out of detergents, lead out of gas, DDT out of bald eagle eggs, and acid out of rain. We have protected threatened forests from Haida Gwaii to Labrador...but now we face a global challenge where progress eludes us," said May.
The Green Party encourages all Canadians to continue raising community awareness about the climate crisis in order to build momentum and press our global leaders to achieve real progress in upcoming international negotiations. Earth Day is an excellent opportunity to mobilize at the grassroots level.
This year for Earth Day, the Green Party of Canada has set a goal of planting 10,000 trees, one for every new or renewing member. “By becoming a member of the Green Party, you will also be planting a tree, contributing to the health of our planet,” said Craig Cantin, Interim Executive Director.
Green Teach-ins are being held across the country, including one in Sidney, BC, with Leader Elizabeth May. On the eve of Earth Day, Elizabeth May and Gwynne Dyer appeared at a public event in Toronto, Finding Hope: Confronting Climate Wars, hosted by Ralph Benmergui.
The Green Party has also been collecting messages to Planet Earth.
“The response of Canadians to Earth Day shows just how deeply we care about ensuring a healthy Earth for upcoming generations,” said May.
Contact Information:
Debra Eindiguer
Press Secretary
C: 613.240.8921
media@greenparty.ca
