Celebrate Earth Day with the First Ever Green Census!
Yesterday, April 22nd, was a historic day - it marked the 50th Anniversary of Earth Day, a global event that celebrates the environmental advances we have made throughout history and the progress that we work to further achieve. It is important to remember the vulnerabilities of our Earth’s ecosystem, to always maintain a balance between all living creatures, to acknowledge the effects that our technological advances have had on our ecosystems and to do our part in uplifting environmental justice in whatever ways as we possibly can.
The 2020 Census is the first Green Census of our time! People across the country can fill out their forms online or over the phone, mitigating the need for paper surveys. Due to COVID-19, the Census Bureau has announced a delay in sending paper forms to each household, so we still have time to do it paperless! Taking the Census NOW online or via phone means that we are being environmentally friendly resulting in less paper forms to be mailed. In filling out the Census today, people are doing a lot more for the environment than they realize!
Furthermore, Census data drives the enforcement of environmental protection programs, such as the Clean Air Act, by shaping the federal initiatives that protect our environment from pollution and keep our communities healthy. This includes programs that:
- Provide water and waste disposal for rural communities
- Restore endangered wildlife
- Control and monitor air pollution
- Monitor water systems
- Provide flood insurance to homeowners
- Reduce the amount of diesel emissions in the air
Did you know that Environmental Justice and Climate Action rely heavily on Census data? The data from the census helps with understanding the effects of climate crises, environmental hazards and government policies on communities as well as determining fund distribution. Researchers, advocates and policymakers rely on accurate census data to identify incomparable impacts of the climate crisis allowing the enforcement of several environmental protections and to identify the needs of the diverse and minority communities that are the most impacted, or are in dire need of protection.
For more information and sources on how you can contribute to Environmental Justice and Climate Action by filling out the Census, please check out the Census Environmental Fact Sheet jointly published by Jae Fune Lee and Cara Brumfield, WE ACT for Environmental Justice and The Beeck Center for Social Impact and Innovation.
So will you complete the Census today? Take our video challenge and share with us why the Census is important to YOU!
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Already taken the pledge? Use our photo frame to show your Facebook friends that you're ready for Census 2020. 
