WASHINGTON 鈥� This Saturday is the 47th Earth Day. Started in 1970 when environmentalism and caring about the planet started to take hold, it has become a worldwide event. Now there are plenty of ways to celebrate the day and the environment in the D.C. area.
A little background first. NASA鈥檚 Apollo missions to the Moon as humans saw our planet in living color, suspended in the vast blackness of space. We saw our planet as a vulnerable world that needed our care.
Earth Day 2017鈥檚 campaign is 鈥�” Education is key to developing awareness of the environment and climate change, and ultimately, what we can do about it.
More people may aim to protect the planet and science this Earth Day after comments from President Donald Trump that perpetrated by the Chinese to hurt the U.S. economy. Also, the聽Trump administration aimed at slowing climate change and improving water safety and air quality, while eliminating thousands of jobs.
March for Science
Earth Day Network and the 鈥淢arch for Science鈥� are co-organizing on the National Mall in D.C. At the “Earth Day March for Science Rally and Teach-Ins” There will be speeches and training sessions with scientists and civic organizers, musical performances and a march through the streets of D.C. The crowd will gather at 8 a.m. and the teach-in will begin at 9聽a.m.
As stated by Earth Day Network, 鈥淭he March for Science is a celebration of our passion for science and the many ways science serves our communities and our world. The March for Science is an unprecedented global gathering of scientists and science enthusiasts joining together to acknowledge the vital role science plays in our lives and the need to respect and encourage research that gives us insight into the world.鈥�
The March for Science currently has planned satellite rallies in more than 400 cities across the United States and worldwide.
I am very proud to say that the astronomical community will be well represented in the March For Science.
The Planetary Society is an official partner of the March For Science and 鈥淏ill Nye the Science Guy鈥� is honorary co-chair and will be marching in D.C. The has joined with more than 100 other scientific organizations across all disciplines to become an official partner as well of the March for Science.
鈥淪cience and reason have never been more important to this country and its citizens, yet they are under attack from many quarters. If we in the scientific community don鈥檛 speak out for sensible evidence-based policy, we can鈥檛 expect anybody else to do so,鈥� said AAS Executive Officer Kevin B. Marvel in a news release.
The march will bring road closures around D.C. Read the full list .
Adopt the planet
NASA鈥檚 theme for Earth Day 2017 is 鈥� by 鈥榓dopting鈥� one of 64,000 individual pieces of Earth as seen from space.鈥� To adopt your piece of the planet, go to and register.
I did so and got . I learned much about the remote spot by looking through the various links that pertain to the area.
NASA is a vital asset in monitoring our precious planet. NASA wrote in a news release that it 鈥渃ontinually looks outward to find and learn about planets in our solar system and beyond, but no planet is better studied than the one we actually live on.鈥�
鈥淥ur fleet of 18 Earth science missions in space, supported by aircraft, ships and ground observations, measure aspects of the environment that touch the lives of every person around the world,鈥� NASA said in the release.
I highly recommend that you go to and educate yourself about the facts of global climate change 鈥� it IS real.
More DC-area events
There are a number of taking place in the area聽鈥� here are a few:
D.C.:
Maryland:
Virginia:
I hope you participate in some way this Earth Day 2017.
Follow my 聽to keep up with the latest news in astronomy and space exploration. You can email me at skyguyinva@gmail.com.
