Earth Day 2008

EARTH DAY NETWORK

Check out the Earth Day Network: http://ww2.earthday.net/. They have lots of information, programs, activities, and great ideas!

Founded by the organizers of the first Earth Day in 1970, Earth Day Network (EDN) promotes environmental citizenship and year round progressive action worldwide.

Earth Day Network is a driving force steering environmental awareness around the world. Through Earth Day Network, activists connect, interact, and have an impact on their communities, and create positive change in local, national, and global policies. EDN's international network reaches over 17,000 organizations in 174 countries, while the domestic program engages 5,000 groups and over 25,000 educators coordinating millions of community development and environmental protection activities throughout the year. Earth Day is the only event celebrated simultaneously around the globe by people of all backgrounds, faiths and nationalities. More than a half billion people participate in our campaigns every year.

EDN's mission is to grow and diversify the environmental movement worldwide, and to mobilize it as the most effective vehicle for promoting a healthy, sustainable planet - through education, politics, events, and consumer activism.

SIERRA CLUB

Investing in clean energy can transform our economy and free America from our dependence on foreign oil and big oil companies. Energy costs are skyrocketing, the economy is in trouble and off track, and the middle class is losing out. But we can move forward by investing in a clean, efficient energy economy that creates jobs here at home, saves families and businesses money, makes America energy independent, and combats global warming.

Energy Efficiency: Our Greatest New Energy ‘Source’

Energy efficiency is a source of energy like coal, gas, or nuclear—but instead of drilling for it or blowing up mountaintops to extract it, we can tap into this clean energy source by using ingenuity to do more with the energy we already generate. We can work smarter, not harder. Find out more!

Check out these Earth Day resources:

Green Your Congregation/Business/School: Step-by-step guides for how to do it.
Earth Day Events: Thanks to dozens of you, we've collected almost 40 Earth Day events -- CFL giveaways, street fairs, and more -- inviting people to volunteer or attend. It's not too late to add your event -- tell us about yours here.
We Can Do It factsheet (pdf): Download a factsheet highlighting how efficiency and renewables are already leading the way to a clean energy economy. Includes our "Spend Now. Save for Years to Come" chart.
Energy Efficiency Success Stories: A winery in California, a hotel in Montana, a convent in Michigan, a school in Washington--read their stories about getting more energy efficient.
Spend Now. Save for Years to Come: Take our energy efficiency quiz and find out how much you know about standby power, CFLs, hybrids, and more.

One Indiana Community's Earth Day Event

Where: The City of Whiting, in northwestern Indiana

Date/Time: Saturday, April 19, 2008, 1:00 p.m. (Central)

Location: Whiting Park (Directions: Take U.S. 12 or 20 to 119^th & Indianapolis Blvd. or U.S. 41 to 119^th & Calumet Ave., turn northeast onto 119^th St. in Whiting and go through main street to Front St.; turn left, cross the railroad tracks and enter the lakefront park and park by the pavilion.)

Focus: BP Whiting Refinery Tar Sands Expansion, Environmental Justice, Global Warming and the Threat to the Boreal Forest. (Following the guest speakers, a car caravan will go to the local “hot spots” of environmental pollution in the area.)

Guest Speakers:

Macdonald Stainsby, “Oil Sands Truth” editor - Canadian activist and coordinator of www.oilsandstruth.org will speak on environmental and indigenous peoples’ issues in Alberta Canada where tar sands are mined.

Denny Larson and Ruth Breech, Global Community Monitor -The staff of Global Community Monitor (http://www.gcmonitor.org) will talk on the health and toxic issues of refining tar sands oil and the disposal of massive waste byproducts in the sensitive Great Lakes region.

Nile Malloy, Rainforest Action Network - An Organizer for the Rainforest Action Network will address the impact of tar sands on global warming. (http://www.ran.org/campaigns/freedom_from_oil/)

* The program will be followed by a car caravan to the local “hot spots” of pollution in our area! *

~ Co-sponsors ~

Calumet Project, Chicago Audubon Society, Citizens Action Coalition, Coalition for a Clean Environment, Environment America, Global Community Monitor, Global Exchange, Heartland Center, Legal Environmental Aid Foundation, Environmental Justice Partnership, Department of Minority Studies of Indiana Northwest, Oil Change International, Oil & Gas Accountability Project, EARTHWORKS*Rainforest Action Network, Sand Ridge Audubon Society, Sierra Club Hoosier Chapter, Duneland Group, Sierra Club Hoosier Chapter, Winding Waters Group, Southeast Environmental Task Force, Sustainable Earth

For more information, please call the Calumet Project office in Hammond, Indiana at 219-845-5008.

Top Stories from the Indiana Chapter