By Ed Smith,
Policy Director Coalition for the Environment
www.moenviron.org
Our country was able to adopt strong environmental protections after rivers were catching on fire because people like you showed up to rallies, voted and engaged in democratic processes. Join hundreds of Missourians from throughout the state in Jefferson City on April 22nd, the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, to remind lawmakers of our environmental values and concerns.
Missourians who value clean air are being challenged by slumlords who refuse adequate housing for their tenants, by foreign-owned corporations installing factory farms next to traditional family farmers and by utilities running coal plants without adequate pollution controls, just to name a few.
Missourians who value clean water are being challenged by lawmakers removing public representation on the Clean Water Commission, by a system that allows children to drink lead contaminated water while at school or at home and by Missouri regulators supporting coal ash disposal rules so weak that it threatens our water with carcinogenic contaminants, just to name a few.
Missourians who care about a healthy food system are being challenged by lawmakers who support a bill that will eliminate more than 45,000 children from the supplemental nutrition assistance program, by redlining communities that create food deserts and by the industrialization of our food system that is crushing traditional family farmers.
The good news is that people power helped bring about change in the past and people power will bring about change again!
Join people throughout Missouri in Jefferson City on April 22nd to make sure lawmakers know what Earth Day means to you.
Visit www.moenvironment.org/earthday to get more information and RSVP. Join MCE in support of our earth by engaging in the democratic process in our state capitol!