|
Dear John: It's Earth Month, and what better way to celebrate than by learning how our parks and green spaces can help fight climate change?
|
|
|
This Earth Day, we have a unique opportunity to help make our communities more resilient in the face of climate change. Parks, trees, and green infrastructure help withstand flooding from stormwater and provide cooling shade from summer heat. Urge your members of Congress to support investments that will make us climate resilient and improve equitable access to nature for all.
|
|
|
|
|
|
When addressing Congress in 1985, Carl Sagan described climate change as an “intergenerational problem.” Nearly 40 years later, this is evident. Problems of great scale demand solutions to match. There isn’t one remedy, but urban trails have the power to help. Our work diversifying transportation options in cities is doing its part—and making places more liveable and fun too.
|
|
|
|
|
In April 1970, a group of young activists hustled to make final preparations for the first-ever Earth Day. The seed they planted grew into a powerful force for global change. Arturo Sandoval was one of those activists. On the 50th anniversary of Earth Day in 2020, he shared the story of the origins of this important holiday and his thoughts on where the environmental movement should focus in the next 50 years.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Updates from across the Country
|
More than 11,000 Philadelphians live within a 10-minute walk of Lanier Playground, a 4-acre city park TPL helped rebuild in 2018. The park was locked up and closed to the public for more than a decade, but we worked with the community to breathe new life into it. Now full of trees, sports fields, and pet-friendly areas, the park also features a water-filtration system capable of handling up to 106 million gallons of stormwater per year.
|
Tucked along the Columbia River, East Wenatchee, Washington, serves as an access point to the nearby Cascade Mountains. Despite that reputation for outdoor recreational opportunities, the town hadn't acquired and constructed a new public park of its own in more than 50 years. That changed earlier this year with the opening of Cherryhill Park—a former cherry orchard turned neighborhood green space.
|
|
|
|
|
Our next Park Bench Chat—tomorrow—is a celebration of the benefits and joys we can all gain from spending time in nature—and we mean all. Join us this Earth Day for what’s sure to be a lively and entertaining conversation with actor, comedian, and author Nick Offerman; avid birder, podcaster, and activist Tykee James; and acclaimed skydiver, nonprofit founder, and editorial director Danielle Williams. This conversation will be moderated by TPL Equity Director Ronda Chapman.
|
|
|
|
|
Each month, we feature a quote from a Trust for Public Land staff member, volunteer, or supporter about the power of the outdoors. Share why you're thankful for the outdoors for a chance to be featured in a future newsletter.
|
|
|
|
|
This Earth Month, we spoke with author Alison Sant, whose new book, From the Ground Up: Local Efforts to Create Resilient Cities, examines how community-driven approaches to urban planning can help solve multiple priority problems in tandem, from combatting the impacts of climate change to righting racial and environmental injustices.
|
|
|
|
TPL depends on generous support from individuals like you to advance our work in communities where parks and public land are needed most. Thanks to a generous matching gift offer, for a limited time, your donation will be triple-matched up to $250,000 to help connect everyone to the outdoors. Make your tax-deductible gift now for three times the impact.
|
|
|
|
We're partnering with Macy's for our Community Schoolyards™ initiative. When you shop at Macy's during Earth Month you can round up your purchase in-store or donate online to TPL. Thank you, Macy's, for helping us transform more vacant playgrounds into vibrant green spaces.
|
|
|
|
|
|
.jpg)
