| R 259 |
| 2026 -- H 8454 Enacted 04/16/2026 |
| H O U S E R E S O L U T I O N |
| CELEBRATING THE 56TH ANNIVERSARY OF "EARTH DAY" ON APRIL 22, 2026, IN THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND |
Introduced By: Representatives McGaw, Shekarchi, Blazejewski, Chippendale, DeSimone, Carson, Speakman, Donovan, Potter, and Boylan |
| Date Introduced: April 16, 2026 |
| 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 2026, one billion people in more than 192 countries are |
| expected to be involved in a wide range of activities coordinated globally; and |
| WHEREAS, This year marks the 56th Anniversary of Earth Day and it continues last |
| year’s theme of “Our Power, Our Plant” focusing on the role of people and communities around |
| the world in sustaining environmental protections that affect the cost of living, public health, |
| infrastructure, and long-term stability. Conditions of the environment have influence on the |
| availability of food and water, access to energy, natural disaster risks, and economic resilience; |
| and |
| WHEREAS, Earth Day has already had a significant and positive impact on our World |
| with tens of millions of trees planted, educators teaching about environmental issues in 149 |
| countries, billions in Green School Grants, 2.7 billion Acts of Green, and millions of cleanup |
| volunteers; 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 56th Anniversary of Earth Day on April 22, 2026, 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, Executive Director, the Rhode |
| Island Resource Recovery Corporation, and Terrence Gray, Director, Rhode Island Department of |
| Environmental Management. |
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| LC004540 |
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