Let this 50th Anniversary of Earth Day be a renewal of commitments to protect this planet for the healthy habitation of all life, including humanity.  Many of us still remember the hope and excitement of the environmental movement in the late 60’s and early 70’s.  The next several years saw the passage of multiple federal laws to protect the environment:  Clean Air Act (originally passed in 1963, it was greatly expanded in 1970), Clean Water Act (1972), Endangered Species Act (1973), Toxic Substances Control Act (1976), Marine Mammal Protection Act (1972), National Environmental Policy Act (1970) and the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency (1970) and the modern day National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (1970).  In our state the California Environmental Quality Act was passed (1970).  While there were significant improvements in environmental quality in the ensuing decades, by the 1980s there were already attempts by big business and its political allies to undermine the impact of these advances, and today we see an all-out assault on these laws and the planet, compounded by the existential threats of climate change, pandemics, and nuclear war.  Let this 50th Anniversary of Earth Day be a renewal of commitments to protect this planet for the healthy habitation of all life, including humanity.  We encourage you to check out many on-line programs to celebrate the planet, and get outside—at a safe distance from other people!  Excellent resources are available at: 

https://www.earthday.org/

https://www.wedonthavetime.org/event/earthdayweek