Kiyomi Morris is a Greenhouse Gas Strategic Advisor with Seattle City Light.
It’s that time of year again – it’s Earth Day! It’s a time when we celebrate and promote environmental education, inspire action, and renew and expand commitments to protect our planet. In fact, the theme this year is “invest in our planet.” Investing in our planet can take many forms: financial, physical, political, artistic, you name it. It doesn’t matter how much time you have, where you live, or who you are; together, we can make a difference by working collectively to protect our planet. Earth Day was founded on that type of momentum and grassroots efforts and now thrives upon.
After its inaugural celebration in 1970, Earth Day helped put the environment on our national agenda, leading to the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency and major policies, like the Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act. Since its original establishment, the world has faced increasing challenges and uncertainties from the climate crisis. The urgency to do something now, today, has become increasingly important. Although we have made progress and can celebrate our achievements together, we must stay on course and continue to ramp up our efforts and investments.
For City Light, investing in our planet is part of our mission and means being committed to doing what’s right for the environment and our region’s people. It also means meeting the goals and commitments we’ve set out to reduce our environmental impacts. Doing so includes collaborating with you to keep us on track and help us meet the challenges of today and tomorrow through new and innovative solutions.
In the past couple of years, together we have demonstrated how adaptable we are as individuals, an agency, and a society. We continue to roll up our sleeves, innovate, and give grace to ourselves and others as we forge forward in the face of ongoing challenges. We have a tremendous responsibility and opportunity to make our future what we want and need it. As we celebrate, let’s pause and take time to appreciate all the benefits provided by this wonderful planet we call home. Let us strengthen our resolve to do the right thing for each other and our planet – today and every day.