Happy Earth Day!
The first Earth Day in 1970 united 20 million Americans to prevent environmental harm. By the end of the year, that activism helped spur creation of the Environmental Protection Agency and passage of ground-breaking environmental laws including the Occupational Safety and Health Act and the Clean Air Act. This is now your time to act.
It’s easy to focus on how much we’ve failed to protect the earth, as we face serious environmental threats. In the U.S. alone environmental initiatives have helped to create more resilient communities and mitigate environmental damage. Earth Day is a great reminder that significant action doesn’t have to be top down. What we do individually and at the community level can have powerful impacts.
Just as it is for the environment, individual and community action is crucial to increasing our national resilience to the impacts of climate change, including more frequent and more severe natural disasters. The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) works with communities across the country to develop strategies and tools to improve floodplain management and mitigating the impacts of flooding.
Individual and community mitigation efforts contribute to communities that can recover more quickly after flooding, and return to supporting the economic health of their family, citizens and the nation.
If you’re interested in learning more about how flood insurance can protect the life you’ve built in Hawai'i, contact your insurance agent or visit www.floodsmart.gov
Looking for something fun to do for Earth Day?
MAUKA TO MAKAI
Celebrate Earth Day at Waimea Valley by signing up to volunteer and spend the rest of the day in the Valley.
Visit the Sustainability Village located in the Upper Meadow with information booths from different organizations doing their part in protecting planet Earth.
Kama’aina families receive special discount admission for this day.
Please be sure to bring your ID and present it at the ticket booth for discount pricing.
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
During April 17-23, residents, visitors, non-profits, businesses, schools and government agencies will join forces across the state to help the environment and invest in their communities for a more sustainable future. The collective effort and volunteer hours will be captured through the Aloha+Challenge, Hawai‘i’s local framework to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. To learn more about making “A Pledge to Our Keiki” and volunteer opportunities, go to https://www.kanuhawaii.org.
Source: Capitol Connection
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