Earth Day 2015Patricia HooperApril 16, 2015Features0 Comments 0 Learning to use an Atlatl at the Valles Caldera National Preserve. Courtesy of Marie Rodriguez. April 22, 2015 marked the 45th anniversary of the first Earth Day. What began as a movement in the U.S., spearheaded by Wisconsin senator Gaylord Nelson, has become a massive global phenomenon. Today, Earth Day is celebrated in over 192 countries, promoting and celebrating environmental stewardship and action around the world. In his speech at the first Earth Day in 1970, Nelson said, “Our goal is not just an environment of clean air, water, and scenic beauty. The objective is an environment of decency, quality, and mutual respect for all other human beings and all other living creatures.”[1] Although spoken 45 years ago, his words continue to resonate today, as we have seen new environmental leadership and partnerships emerge around the world. The United States and China, two of the world’s largest greenhouse gas emitters, released a joint announcement of their respective domestic emissions goals last November. Additional encouraging news from the recent International Energy Agency (IEA) report found that for the first time in 40 years, energy-related carbon emissions fell without an accompanying economic downturn in 2014. IEA Chief Economist Fatih Birol noted, “this is both a very welcome surprise and a significant one…. for the first time, greenhouse gas emissions are decoupling from economic growth.”[2] Birol also claimed that this finding “provides much-needed momentum to negotiators preparing to forge a global climate deal in Paris in December”, when the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is expected to arrive at an international agreement to combat climate change. Each year the Earth Day Network, a non-profit established to organize the very first Earth Day, chooses a slogan. For Earth Day 2015, the organization selected, “It’s our turn to lead”. This seems particularly fitting for what is shaping up to be a very big year for the Duke Environmental Leadership Program. Around the country, DEL students are celebrating Earth Day. Marie Rodriguez, Executive Education student and Director of the Stewardship Division at the Valles Caldera National Preserve, writes: “The Valles Caldera National Preserve brings Earth Day to life for 4th and 5th grade students from the Pueblo of Jemez. Our science staff set up hands-on nature stations, [where students can] experience testing water quality, electro shocking fish (they record fish species, length and weight before releasing the fish), identifying plants and insects, learning to use an Atlatl (spear thrower used by the ancestral pueblo people), and learning about wildland fire and fire suppression.” Dia Hitt, DEL-MEM ’15 and Marine Educator at the North Carolina Aquarium, is helping with the fourth annual Earth Day Fair at Jennette’s pier in Nags Head on April 18th. The Aquarium hosted a marine debris sculpture workshop, organized by a local Girl Scout working towards her Gold Award. Let us know what you did to celebrate Earth Day on our Facebook page! [1] http://www.nelsonearthday.net/collection/4-22-1970/nelson_26-18_ED_denver_speech_notes.pdf [2] http://www.iea.org/newsroomandevents/news/2015/march/global-energy-related-emissions-of-carbon-dioxide-stalled-in-2014.html written by Emily Lamb, MEM ’16