Celebrating the 50th Earth Day Across the Country April 23, 2020

PSR chapters across the country celebrated the 50^th Earth Day. They found ways to share their messages of health, action and hope while honoring stay-at-home orders and social distancing. See our roundup of highlights below.

PSR/Wisconsin sent members a special email touting “Five Ways to Celebrate Earth Day.” It was entitled, “Take part in Earth Day from home.”

Chicago PSR shared a photo from Earth Day 1970: more than 7,000 students at the University of Pennsylvania gathered to observe the first Earth Day 50 years ago. Social distancing was not an issue then.

PSR/Iowa sent notes inviting people to join relevant webinars and film screenings. They are also developing regular climate-protective “to do” notices and related educational courses in consultation with public schools.

PSR/Philadelphia shared a message from “Medical Students for a Sustainable Future.”

PSR/Arizona co-hosted an Earth Day event with the Business Climate Action Panel including the mayor of Tucson and a number of allies—and a “super star” band, Calexico.

Dr. Walter Tsou, executive director of PSR/Pennsylvania, shared his recollections of his attendance at the original 1970 Earth Day in Philadelphia. He also participated on a webinar panel entitled “No Warming, No Waste, No Wars,” discussing COVID 19 and its lessons for addressing a global crisis.

San Francisco PSR board member Dr. Tova Fuller presented at an Earth Day event at the Department of Psychiatry, University of California/SF, entitled “Climate Change and Mental Health.” She discussed the particular vulnerability of psychiatric patients to the effects of climate change, and risk factors which increased risk for mental health symptoms and exacerbations.

Oregon PSR supported local youth who organized a Virtual Earth Day Rally, Portland’s largest digital rally for climate justice ever. The Virtual Rally included youth speakers, musicians, poets, and community leaders. The next day, PSR supported the Digital Chase Bank Takeover which highlighted Chase Bank’s leading role in supporting the fossil fuel industry and their climate change profiteering.