This has been a rough year. I was expecting the Trump administration and Congress to make decisions that put polluters first, but the all-out assault has been something else. EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt seems proud that he sued the EPA 14 times as Oklahoma Attorney General. And he's making it easier for the Trump Administration to rescind many of the protections for clean water, clean air, and public health that we have put in place over the past 40 years.
It can get a little dark, but one of the perks that I get at Clean Water Action is the chance to discuss these issues with our members. And our members are rock stars. They truly are. While the news these days is extremely distressing, it helps to remember that we are a rather large community of people fighting for change. We are coming together to protect our environment. As my colleague Geoff told me one day, "We are in this for the long haul, it's not a sprint." These are great words of wisdom as we really must pace ourselves - the battles are just beginning.
I want to highlight one member, Arthur. When I reached him recently, he was quite despondent about the news and the path toward a clean water future and a healthy planet. One thing I told him is this: those of us who came of age or were active during the turbulent 1960's learned some lessons and won some very important fights. I won't list everything that we accomplished, but here are some things we achieved through a lot of hard work and community engagement:
- A war was stopped (Vietnam);
- Women's rights;
- Huge strides towards protecting civil rights, passing the Civil Rights Act and Voting Rights Act;
- Environmental protections were put in place through landmark laws like the Clean Water and Clean Air Acts.
Many of those who played a great role in achieving those victories are now close to retirement (or have already retired). They have more time and are steeped in activism, as well as versed in what we need to do. In fact, it seems that the battles of the 60's were a trial run for what we are now facing - preserving our democracy and the environment.
It's a task we are ready for. We look forward to it and are eager to show the world how it's done. Join us in writing, calling and marching. Make Earth Day every day. It's not a slogan. It's part of our evolution. And we know we are up to the challenge.
