Berkeley, CA (November 12, 2020) — When the election was decided on November 7, many people in the United States took a moment to breathe a sigh of relief. After four long, dark years, come January we can look forward to a president and vice president who believe in science, who understand that climate change needs urgent attention, who see strength in diversity and inclusivity, and who recognize the need for justice, both social and environmental.
That there will be a Democratic president in the White House does not signal an end to the fight on these issues, particularly when so many people are still struggling for basic rights and when our environment is suffering so greatly. We need to step up our efforts to reverse the disastrous executive orders and policy changes implemented by the Trump administration.
It won’t be easy work. As environmental activists we are well aware of how incredibly difficult it is to hold our politicians accountable when so many of them are beholden to corporate billionaires who, in turn, promote and profit from government policies that allow them to continue destroying our planet and its inhabitants.
Earth Island’s power lies in our diverse program areas and our network of more than 80 projects working on comprehensive, holistic approaches to solving the many environmental problems we face. These projects are building grassroots coalitions and creating models for clean, healthy, vibrant, safe communities that can be accessed by everyone, communities in which women and people of color lead climate change initiatives and educators inspire the environmental stewards of tomorrow. These models are what will sustain us in the long run.
In this coming year, Earth Island will continue the important work of healing and connecting with people in communities in the U.S. and around the world. Regardless of how you voted, we look forward to finding common ground about the things that matter most to us. We are grateful for those who are joining us as we strive to create a better world for all of us.