BOARD AGENDA MEMORANDUM
SUBJECT:
Title
Resolution Recognizing April 22, 2019 as Earth Day.
End
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation
Adopt the Resolution RECOGNIZING APRIL 22, 2019 AS EARTH DAY.
Body
SUMMARY:
Every year on April 22nd, over a billion people worldwide celebrate Earth Day. Earth Day is intended to raise awareness and appreciation for the Earth’s natural environment. At a 1969 UNESCO Conference in San Francisco, peace activist John McConnell proposed a day to honor Earth and the concept of peace, and then-U.S. Senator Nelson formally established Earth Day on April 22nd, 1970. On that day, 20 million people participated in rallies nationwide, which helped lead to the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency and the passing of the Clean Air, Clean Water, and Endangered Species Acts.
Earth Day continues to serve as a platform to promote responsible and caring acts for the environment, thus improving quality of life. It is celebrated in more than 192 countries each year and promoted by the non-profit Earth Day Network.
The global Earth Day theme this year is “Protect our Species.” Human activities are causing the greatest rate of extinction of species since we lost the dinosaurs more than 60 million years ago. The Earth Day theme aims to join people around the world to protect species and their habitats, increase awareness of the current rate of extinction, and encourage individual actions.
With this Resolution, the Santa Clara Valley Water District (Valley Water) can further promote its mission for flood protection, stewardship, including pollution prevention, and providing Silicon Valley safe, clean water for a healthy life, environment, and economy. Valley Water currently has a broad array of services that align with Earth Day objectives. These services include stewardship programs, water conservation, the Green Business Program, habitat restoration/enhancement projects, and energy optimization or alternative energy programs.
Valley Water will recognize and celebrate Earth Day with a sustainability fair on Tuesday, April 30, 2019, that will be hosted by the Green Team Employee Resource Group (ERG). The Green Team ERG serves as a resource to all employees to promote sustainable best practices, to support Valley Water’s sustainability mission, and to help generate new sustainable ideas and solutions in the workplace. This year’s sustainability fair will include a BioBlitz activity to help employees identify plant and animal species around our campus and beyond.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
There is no financial impact associated with this item.
CEQA:
These recommended actions do not constitute a project under CEQA because they do not have a potential for resulting in direct or reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment.
ATTACHMENTS:
Attachment 1: Resolution
UNCLASSIFIED MANAGER:
Manager
Katherine Oven, 408-630-3126