EARTH DAY LIVE! Saturday, April 22

from Faith D’Urbano+

I hope you’ll come out to EARTH DAY LIVE! Creative Climate Connections. It’s this Saturday in downtown Lancaster!

April 22, 2017, Noon to 4 p.m.

The group inspiring Saturday’s Earth Day LIVE! is Citizen’s Climate Lobby, which engages in volunteer, non-profit, non-partisan, grassroots advocacy serious about solving climate change.

As an Episcopalian whose view is echoing the Church’s concern, I invite you to join in making this first Lancaster EARTH DAY LIVE! a huge success. The Church’s long held stance is that care and justice for all creation is a core value of the Episcopal Church, and this stance is reflected in a recent statement of Bishops: “We believe that climate change menaces the lifeblood of our economy, our national security, and the very future of humanity and that of many other species, and the United States of America must rise to the occasion to confront this enormous threat, assuming a leadership role in partnership with the community of nations. We consider this a matter of profound spiritual importance and a manifestation of our call to be stewards of God’s creation.” (March 28, 2017)

With celebration, energy, relationship building, fun, creativity, art, music, science and kids’ activities, this event is packed with support for the earth. Details on times and events of the day are below.

Citizen’s Climate Lobby is a world-wide organization, started 10 years ago. I was first introduced to CCL through its Lancaster chapter last fall.  CCL’s clear aims – its researched goals and, particularly, its core principles – drew me in and gave me a place to act, to leave the sidelines and to employ my citizen’s voice to work with others with the hope of influencing national policies on climate change.

Here are the legs of CCL’s 3-legged stool – approach, values, mission:

APPROACH: Volunteers team with government at all levels to address the climate crisis.

CORE VALUES:

• Focus – one specific goal at a time
• Optimism – CCL stands for a solution, not in protest of other solutions. Confidence erupts with each step of progress the work is accomplishing
• Relationships – instead of a protest stance, CCL doggedly works to build consensus
• Integrity – the approach is thoroughly researched, thoughtful, and open
• Personal Power – use of one’s voice transforms all from spectators to engaged citizens, and reveals the true nature of democracy
• Non-Partisan – CCL’s own wide member identity works well with elected officials and community leaders from across the political spectrum and aisle.

MISSION: “To preserve a livable planet and to empower citizens…. to build the political will for a sustainable climate.”

Come out this Saturday to Tellus 360, starting at noon. The event follows the morning rally at Penn Square in support of science.

Help make a hopeful statement; raise public awareness to new heights; spend time with a movement of ordinary citizens who believe TOGETHER we can do something significant and substantial to address climate change!  Here’s the schedule:

EARTH  DAY LIVE! at Tellus 360

Plus local artists:
*Michelle Johnsen  *Kevin Miller  *Salina Almanza  *Alice Schwagern  *Osmyn Oree
*Gerri McCritty  *Mary Lou Weaver Houser  *Victoria Mowrer  *Robert Allen

Bring family and friends!

Suggested donation is $5 for individuals, $10 per family. Proceeds benefit summer programs for Lancaster City children at the Lancaster Conservancy’s Climbers Run Nature Preserve.