FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, 4-23-2022
CONTACT: Sarah Tresedder, 906-869-4167, sarah.tresedder@sierraclub.org
Zach Simón, 734-546-9982, zachariah@michiganlcv.org
Hope and a Call to Action at the Oakland County Climate March, Rally and Fair
Royal Oak, MI - Today, a strong coalition of environmental organizations and groups came together to host Oakland County’s first ever Climate March, Rally, and Fair to celebrate Earth Day and call for bold action from Oakland County governments to address the climate crisis and make Oakland County a climate leader. The event drew a crowd of over 1,000 individuals and over 35 vendors representing environmental organizations, local businesses, and other climate groups. Speakers at the event highlighted the strong need for climate action and the importance of prioritizing environmental justice in the county.
“Climate Change is here, it is raging, it is indeed a crisis. But, we have the solutions. We all need to talk about climate change to drive action. There is hope, it’s our job to make it happen.” said Dr. Jonathan Peck, Dean of University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability and Coordinating Lead Author (WG1) of Nobel-Prize Winning IPCC Fourth Assessment
“Climate justice means protecting vulnerable and disinvested communities from the negative effects of climate change, that are due in large part to policy decisions made outside the community.” explained Kimathi Boothe, Chair of North Oakland Branch of the NAACP's Climate Justice Program, “It means investing in the rebuilding of communities that are most impacted by the intersections of poverty, pollution and crime, with intentional design toward sustainability and resilience from heat, flooding and extreme weather events we can't stop.”
Boothe continued “We know Black, Indigenous and Latino communities have been disproportionately bearing the brunt of the damage and disease caused by these decisions and intersectionality since the Nation's founding. Justice requires us to develop, organize and fight for equity-centered solutions that reduce CO2 emissions while creating economic development opportunities for these communities if we are to meet the challenges of climate change.”
“This Earth Day, we are calling on our Oakland County governments to seize the opportunity to fight against the climate crisis and create a sustainable economy based on clean energy and environmental justice.” said Andrew Sarpolis, Sierra Club Oakland County Organizer, “The success of this march and rally shows just how badly Michiganders want to see real action taken - the window of opportunity is closing quickly and we can begin creating community-wide plans that tackle climate change and leave us a sustainable world.”
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The Oakland County Climate Campaign emerged in December 2019 as a response to the growing threat of climate change and the need for local governments to take action. Since then, they have grown into a powerful coalition working to make Oakland County a model for environmental leadership in the United States. Learn more: https://www.turnoaklandcountygreen.com/
