What does Earth Day Mean to You?
In the middle of a global health crisis, it might be a little hard to answer that question. Even a month ago, most of us had no idea how our world would change with the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19). Here at Rogue Riverkeeper, we’re so thankful to our community and especially to healthcare workers and those on the front lines of this global pandemic.
Although fifty years later, Earth Day 2020 looks a little different than in 1970 when 20 million Americans gathered together at protests and rallies, the heart of this day remains the same. Together, even if we’re physically apart, we can stand up for clean water, native fish, and healthy communities in the waters of the Rogue.
No matter where you are, you can make a difference. Will you join us?
With your support, we’re fighting harder than ever to protect clean water and healthy communities. Your help is needed to:
Stop the Jordan Cove LNG project once and for all. In the midst of this global health crisis, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) issued a conditional approval for this project. It is now more important than ever for the state to stand up for our communities. Together, we can push back on this misguided decision and stop this harmful project once and for all.
Improve harmful logging practices on private forestlands. Streams in southern Oregon are still left with weaker protections for how close trees can be cut near streams. There’s no excuse to exclude the Siskiyou – the science doesn’t support it, the law doesn’t support it, and our streams and salmon can’t wait another decade. Ask the Board of Forestry to improve protections for southern Oregon streams!
Increase protections for a healthy Bear Creek. Bear Creek is one of the most polluted waterways that flows into the Rogue, yet it’s also where many people in the Rogue watershed live! This year, we adopted a section of the Bear Creek Greenway to host monthly clean up’s and grow community stewardship for Bear Creek. We joined with Rogue Retreat, a program that provides job pathways for the homeless community in Medford and continue to build our community partnerships to protect and restore this important waterway. We also continue to work with local cities to improve protections for Bear Creek from polluted urban runoff. With your support, we’re fighting hard to stop the implementation of new federal regulations that would gut protections under the Clean Water Act from small streams and wetlands that flow into waters like Bear Creek and the Rogue.
What can you do?
Although in-person events are off the table for now to help protect the health and safety of our communities, there are many ways that you can take action to protect clean water from home!
From picking up trash on your daily walk to writing a letter to the editor for your local newspaper to sharing an online petition with five friends, you can make a difference for clean water wherever you are.
Together, we can stand up for what we love. You already have!
Over the past ten years, you’ve helped make a difference for our watershed.
With the help of our community and partner organizations, we’ve fought off the Jordan Cove LNG project time and again. The state of Oregon denied both the Clean Water Act permit for the project as well as the Coastal Zone Management Act certification in 2019 and 2020.
Your support led to federal law that protects more than 140 miles of streams that flow into the lower Rogue as Wild & Scenic for the 50th anniversary of the Wild & Scenic Rivers Act in 2018.
With your help, we protected more than 20,000 river miles across the state from suction dredge mining in salmon habitat in 2017.
With help from many volunteers, each summer we test for bacteria pollution at popular swimming, fishing, and boating sites along the waters of the Rogue and update our website weekly.
So, what does Earth Day mean to you in 2020?
Maybe it’s a time to reflect, reconnect with loved ones, or go for a walk. Maybe it’s a time to write a letter, sign a petition, or attend a virtual community event. Even if we can’t come together in person, here at Rogue Riverkeeper we hope that we can all find a way to celebrate Earth Day 2020 with each other.
For the Rogue,
Your Rogue Riverkeeper team.
P.S. If you’re looking for a fun way to connect with other folks, we’re hosting an “at-home” Wild & Scenic Film Festival this week for free!
After you sign up, we’ll send you an email with more details, links to the selected films you can watch online, and a link to register for a virtual happy hour this Friday (4/24) to connect with each other and discuss the films!
