R 206
2024 -- H 8162
Enacted 04/11/2024

H O U S E   R E S O L U T I O N
CELEBRATING THE 54TH ANNIVERSARY OF "EARTH DAY" ON APRIL 22, 2024, IN THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

Introduced By: Representatives McGaw, Shekarchi, Blazejewski, Carson, Bennett, Chippendale, Cortvriend, Knight, Ajello, and Boylan

Date Introduced: April 11, 2024

     WHEREAS, First held on April 22, 1970, Earth Day was created by Senator Gaylord
Nelson to bring national attention and support for environmental protection; and
     WHEREAS, The very first Earth Day brought twenty million Americans from myriad
United States cities out to demonstrate. In 2023, one billion people in more than 193 countries
were involved in a wide range of activities coordinated globally; and
     WHEREAS, This year marks the 54th Anniversary of Earth Day and is centered on the
theme “Planet vs. Plastics” with the intended purpose to rally the world to address the growing
environmental problems with plastic pollution, lobby for a 60 percent reduction in the production
of all plastics by 2040, and create a plastic-free future; and
     WHEREAS, Earth Day has already had a significant and positive impact on our World
with 100s of millions of trees planted, educators teaching about environmental issues in 149
countries, 7 billion Green School Grants, 2.7 billion acts of green, 15 million cleanup volunteers,
and 50 million citizen data points; and
     WHEREAS, Earth Day commands a collective voice from our world to encourage
governments, businesses and individuals “to acknowledge and rectify their roles in the
environmental crisis”; and
     WHEREAS, Earth Day is an opportunity for “individuals from all backgrounds and
walks of life to unite in a global effort to advance sustainability and climate action”; now,
therefore be it
     RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island hereby
celebrates the 54th Anniversary of Earth Day on April 22, 2024, and calls upon all Rhode
Islanders to educate themselves on the environmental hazards facing the Earth and our future, and
become part of the solution; and be it further
     RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to
transmit duly certified copies of this resolution to Lou Vergato, Interim Executive Director, the
Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corporation, and Terrence Gray, Director, Rhode Island
Department of Environmental Management.
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LC005908
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