April 20, 2012 Dear Friends, Earth Day is a day to express our appreciation for our planet and demand its protection. For 42 years, citizens have made their voices heard, demanded change and volunteered to make Earth a cleaner and safer home for all of us. Please do your part today. In 1970, Gaylord Nelson, a Democratic Senator from Wisconsin, and Pete McCloskey, a Republican Congressman from California, co-founded Earth Day with the idea to combine the energy of the anti-war movement with the public awareness about pollution. On April 22 that year 20 million Americans took to the streets in protest of air and water pollution that was making them sick and killing them. The country was ripe for environmental protection and regulation. In the early 70’s, some of the toughest laws in the U.S. were passed, including the National Environmental Policy Act, the Endangered Species Act, the Clean Air Act, and the Clean Water Act. They were signed into law by Richard Nixon, the Republican president. Congressman McCloskey, you may recall, represented almost the same area I represent today. The environmental laws have protected us and our most treasured places for decades and we need to recommit ourselves to keeping these protections in place. Our air and water quality have improved since the first Earth Day, but we are facing no shortage of environmental challenges: chemical and agricultural pollution, ocean pollution and acidification, mountain top removal, oil spills, climate change, the list goes on. I urge you to take one action on Earth Day that makes a difference. Find a place to volunteer, help clean up a beach, plant a tree, write a letter, whatever suits you. I will be speaking to volunteers at the Pacifica Beach Coalition’s Earth Day of Action on Saturday, April 21. They are expecting 8,000 volunteers this year to clean up beaches, streets, parks and parking lots and restore habitat - you could be one of them! Here are some ways you can get involved: Find a place to volunteer on Earth Day by joining the President’s call to action at Serve.gov Sign up for a hike or volunteer in one of San Mateo County’s parks Spread awareness through the EPA's "Environment in a Day" photo project or their Six-Words for the Planet micro essay challenge Let’s embrace the spirit of Earth Day and commit to celebrating it every day, 24/7. All the best, Unsubscribe Washington D.C. Office 211 Cannon House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 Phone: (202) 225-3531 Fax: (202) 226-4183 San Mateo Office 400 S. El Camino Real, Suite 410 San Mateo, CA 94402 Phone: (650) 342-0300 Fax: (650) 375-8270