WHEREAS, the first Earth Day on April 22, 1970, is credited with launching the modern environmental movement and is recognized as the planet’s largest civic event; and
WHEREAS, the benefits of a healthy environment and spending time in nature for both individual and community health and well-being align with the county’s mission “to enhance the health, safety and quality of life of our residents and communities in a respectful, efficient and fiscally responsible way,” and the county’s overarching goal that “people are healthy, have access to quality health care and live in a clean environment;” and
WHEREAS, there has been increasing recognition of the importance of environmental education and community engagement - from the establishment of environmental education plans and policies at the state level in the 1990s, to the launch of many county environmental education efforts in the 2000s, to the inclusion of community engagement and partnerships in the county’s environmental plans - the county recognizes that we cannot meet our goals and fulfill our mission alone; and
WHEREAS environmental and outdoor education for youth increases their interest in taking action to protect the environment, promotes mental, physical, and social well-being, fosters lifelong environmental stewardship, and increases interest in careers in environmental protection and sustainability; and
WHEREAS, the county’s success relies on engaging a broad range of stakeholders, including public partners, businesses, community organizations, employees, volunteers, and residents, and acknowledges we all have a shared responsibility to do more to combat climate change and address environmental issues, improve our collective quality of life, and protect our air, water and land for future generations; and
WHEREAS, the national focus of 2021 Earth Day on taking climate action and the county’s adoption of our first climate action plan makes environmental education, community engagement, and collective action more important than ever; and
WHEREAS, the most important actions we can take on climate change include increasing public discourse by talking more about the issue and finding ways to take collective and civic action; and
WHEREAS, the impacts of the climate crisis, like other environmental justice issues, are not experienced equally, since those who contribute least to the problem are the most impacted, making response to climate change a justice issue that requires reducing disparities, advancing efforts to dismantle systemic racism, authentically engaging with communities to support community-based solutions, and ensuring equitable access to green economic development opportunities; therefore