5 Ways to Celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Earth Day
The coronavirus pandemic makes the 50th anniversary of Earth Day even more important to mark together. The virus presents us with unprecedented challenges and opportunities for climate progress, and more generally for ecological progress. In addition, every day it’s clearer that the Covid crisis, like the climate crisis, both expresses and compounds racial and other inequalities, providing a stark view of social brutality. This clarity presents its own opportunities for action.
On the potential for regression or progress, read Meehan Crist. On the need for ambitious climate policy for economic recovery, here’s Rhiana Gunn-Wright. On the roots of Covid’s racially differential death rates in the history of racist social policy, see Jamelle Bouie.
This week, on the days surrounding Earth Day’s 50th Anniversary on Wednesday, people from around the world will come together online to participate in cultural activities and political action. We hope you will join in.
The sheer number of opportunities can be overwhelming! Here’s our curated list, beginning and ending with your own active creativity.
1. Earth Stanzas
Be inspired by an eco-poem and write a line yourself!
We’re proud to be part of Earth Stanzas, presented by a partnership led by The Center for Earth Ethics at Union Theological Seminary and the Wick Poetry Center at Kent State University to create a global community poem. Take in some of the beautiful poems offered for inspiration. You might find yourself responding to more than one with your own line.
2. Strike! Divest! Vote!
The student strikes that have galvanized the world are now online, and this 3-day action will be huge.
Many Climate Museum friends and partners are part of this push to keep the climate movement growing. Activists and artists will come together for three days to strike, divest, and vote at Earth Day Live 2020!
Photo: Sari Goodfriend
3. Got an hour (or so) to spare?
Here are some more great, free offerings this week.
The ClimateMusic Project and the National Academy of Sciences present the original chamberwork Icarus in Flight with composer Richard Festinger and the Telegraph Quartet. April 22, 3–4:30 Eastern.
The Alliance for Climate Education presents Our Climate Our Future LIVE, with interactive trivia quizzes and conversations for teachers, students, and parents to stream from home. April 21, 1–2 Eastern.
Join In Conversation with Andrew Garling — Earth Day co-founder! This event is presented by partners Yale Blue Green, the Yale Alumni Nonprofit Alliance, and others (including us). April 22, 4:00–5:15 Eastern.
4. The Climate Museum online
Check out some past Museum highlights and come back regularly as we keep amping up our online work. Let us know what you think.
Explore critical moments in climate history, human exploration, and culture by scrolling though this Arctic timeline, a resource accompanying our very first exhibition, In Human Time. (Attention historical climatology enthusiasts: it’s true to scale back to 1M BCE!)
Photo: Sari Goodfriend
Read poems from the 2019 performance cohort of Climate Speaks, our youth climate and creative writing program, and see some of them performed here (NRDC), here (Grist), and here (Reuters).
Photo: Sari Goodfriend
Watch a beautiful timelapse of the sun rising over the Rockaways, part of our ten-site 2018 exhibition Climate Signals by Justin Brice Guariglia, presented in partnership with the Mayor’s Office — Climate Policy and Programs.
5. Climate Art For Congress
Students, make your voices heard demanding the right to a livable future!
Take part in Climate Art For Congress, our campaign to help students at all grade levels tell Congress how urgent it is to put climate progress at the center of Covid relief and stimulus legislation. The project brings together science, civics, and art for students, teachers, and parents at home. Post your results on social media using #ClimateArtForCongress and tagging @climatemuseum.
You can see this project all over! NYC’s Car Free Earth Day, the Climate Group, Governors Island At Home, and Virtual NYC.
Harry, 17, New Jersey
“I love my local state park, Liberty State Park, and its migratory bird sanctuary!”