Dear fellow earthlings,
Happy 50th anniversary of Earth Day, April 22nd 2020!
I’ve been alive for every one of them since the first, back in 1970, and this is by far the strangest. As my husband said, “Mother Earth decided to celebrate alone this year.” Yup, she’s taking a well-deserved rest.
This year, I’m exploring the connections between home, where we shelter, and our earthly home. To that end, I’ve joined forces with Our Kids Climate, an umbrella organization connecting 57 parent-climate groups worldwide, to launch the “Our Planet – Our Home” family art project.
Here’s how you or your kids can partake:
1) Draw or paint an Earth (or print out and color one of these).
2) Post it in a window or yard, or on a tree, balcony, car, bike, or bridge.
Or, take a photo of yourself / kids holding it and post on social media: #OurPlanetOurHome #EarthDay2020 #EarthRise
That’s it. You’re part of the Earth wave with families all over the world!
Inspired to take it further?
3) Make a pledge: Write one climate action you’ll take to safeguard the earth and children, then post it by your earth. Or, print this gorgeous Our Planet – Our Home – Our Pledge, drawn by 11-year-old Eugene artist Sophia Asturino! Use legal size paper and write your pledge in the extra space.
4) For Eugeneans: Visit my first front lawn installation in 5 years! (email for address). Get coloring sheets, see pledge samples, grab free *postcards.
*They’re pre-addressed to Gov. Kate Brown so we can thank her for protecting Oregon through smart shelter-in-place policies – and challenging Trump’s attempts to shove the Jordan Cove pipeline down our throats. (Eat it, Trump!)
5) Try this wonderful Tree Speech project by 350 Eugene artivist Joan Kleban: Make signs for trees to “hold”, introducing themselves and their gifts.
6) Tell kids about this call for kid submissions of video shorts from Aya de Leon, my fellow Daily Dose writer (did I mention I write monthly for the new Daily Dose? Check out this collective of majority women of color feminist climate writers!)
7) Connect with youth! Sat. April 25th at 1:30. I’ll keynote Our Earth Home: Living Together in Harmony, a conversation hosted by Interfaith Earthkeepers. I’ll talk about how adults can support and empower youth climate activists, then interview youth activists Diego Villada and Trinidad Lucrecia Fabián Alvizo.
Trinidad wants policy changes that address environmental racism in and around her community and to secure a healthy planet for present and future generations. Bring questions for them! It’s free, short, and gonna be powerful.
Lastly: Want to dial into the global climate justice movement? Here’s the 3-day live stream starting on Earth Day, April 22nd.
Ok, gotta go join that wave of Earth art!
With love, determination, and sidewalk chalk on my fingers,
Mary
PS: Here’s my free, 12-pg Parents’ Guide to Safe Climates (During Corona), now a gorgeous PFD made by my young artist friend Aaron Poor!
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