Earth Day: Giving Back and Taking Action

“You cannot protect the environment unless you empower people, you inform them, and you help them understand that these resources are their own, that they must protect them."

- Wangari Maathai, Kenyan political activist and winner of the Nobel Peace Prize

Fifty years ago today, on April 22, 1970, millions of people took to the streets across the country to observe the very first Earth Day. That first Earth Day wasn’t a celebration, it was a historical moment of collective action, bringing together peace activists and environmental advocates, all of whom were speaking out to demand justice for the planet and all who call it home.

The decade that followed the first Earth Day may be the most consequential time period for environmental reforms in this country when amendments, policy changes, and bipartisanship dominated the political arena: 

• Amendments to the Clean Air Act established the Environmental Protection Agency (1970). 

• The Clean Water Act (1972) and Safe Drinking Water Act (1974) regulated and restricted pollution in our waterways and drinking water sources.  

• The National Forest Management Act (1976) has often been referred to as the most comprehensive piece of forestry legislation ever passed. NFMA not only established limits on timber harvesting in national forests, but also required agencies to develop a planning process that allowed the general public to provide input and comments.

Five decades after the inaugural Earth Day, the Trump Administration is taking us back to those pre-Earth Day policies. Wildlife and habitat are being sacrificed for oil and gas development as this administration looks to gut the Endangered Species Act. Corporate polluters are buying influence in Washington D.C to once again get permission to dump toxins in our rivers and drinking water sources. Trump is trying to weaken the Clean Water Act, overruling states and trying to push through fossil fuel pipelines like Jordan Cove. The EPA is run by oil lobbyists, and the timber lobby is openly arguing in court that federal land managers should not be allowed to consider the impacts of industrial logging on wildlife and habitat. In their eyes, wildlife does not exist…it’s simply something that gets in the way of their profit margins.

While the vast majority of us have been staying-in-place under this global pandemic, the Trump Administration is giving free reign to the oil, gas, and timber industries to pollute and harm America’s public lands.

On this Earth Day, many of us wish we were in the streets with friends, neighbors, and allies celebrating the planet, but instead we are working from home, sheltering-in-place, and kept distant from our loved ones. And while the KS Wild and Rogue Riverkeeper office may be empty, our watchdogging and advocacy remains more important than ever. Unfortunately, while federal land managers have shut down developed recreation sites, trailheads, river access, and prescribed fire operations, the Trump Administration has continued to prioritize mining, drilling, logging, and grazing on public lands, claiming these activities to be essential.

Thanks to supporters like you, KS Wild continues to operate at full capacity during the pandemic. On this Earth Day, we are working together and advocating for the region’s forests, waters, and wildlife, including:

• Filing an appeal to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) for their permit approval of the Jordan Cove LNG pipeline.

• Engaging with partners on the Siskiyou Advisory Board to lobby Oregon’s Board of Forestry to protect streams and fish habitat on private lands in southwest Oregon.

• Analyzing the Blown Fortune timber sale and following up on a formal protest to the Bureau of Land Management.

• Reviewing the North Landscape timber sale Environmental Assessment and preparing to file a formal protest, in which we advocate for preservation of old-growth forests that support Northern spotted owls and Pacific fisher habitat.

• Defending ancient forests, clean water, and endangered habitat in two court cases – Griffin Half-Moon timber sale on the Medford District BLM and Crawford timber sale on the Klamath National Forests.

• Lobbying Oregon’s Dept. of Fish and Wildlife to establish additional protections for wild steelhead and salmon as part of the South Coast Region conservation management plan.

• Collaborating with agencies, businesses, and residents in the Illinois Valley to advocate for climate-smart and fire-wise management on public and private lands, including the Riverhouse project.

• Researching and nominating dozens of watersheds in southwest Oregon for inclusion in Wild & Scenic River designations. 

• Providing opportunities for KS Wild volunteers and supporters to stay engaged and network through online presentations. In May, we look forward to co-hosting the Fire & Climate Summit, a four-week series learning about the intersection of wildfire, climate change, and COVID-19 from experts on indigenous fire practices, forest policy, climate adaptation, and defensible spaces.

We encourage you to use this Earth Day as an opportunity to do more than just celebrate the planet.

Give back. Take action. Demand protections.

Times are tough for a lot of individuals, families, and communities, and we understand every person has been impacted in some way. After you ensure your own health and safety and that of your families, take some time and make a commitment to take action by: 

• Speaking up for forests and wildlife by signing one of our actions on our website.

• Signing up to be a volunteer for KS Wild or another local environmental/conservation non-profit in a community closer to home.

• Lobbying and campaigning for public investments and plans like the Green New Deal, which will prioritize a just economic transition to clean energy, workers’ rights, and climate stabilization.

• Voting for candidates who refuse to take money from fossil fuel companies and corporate polluters.

• Supporting local family farmers and local small businesses with your purchases of food, gifts, and experiences.

What does the next decade hold? Climate change, and the extreme weather patterns that come with it, will be our next major public health crisis. With your continued support, KS Wild will remain a reliable and persistent voice for the forests, waters, and wildlife. If you have the means, please consider chipping in a few bucks as a small donation. Your support helps KS Wild and Rogue Riverkeeper protect the Earth, and this little corner of it, everyday.