Committee on
Enviromental Protection and Energy
RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, The City of Chicago, the State of Illinois, the United States, and the rest ofthe world continue to confront the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic; and
WHEREAS, On April 22, 1970, 20 million Americans from every corner of the country joined together to demand a national conversation and action on the protection of the environment, natural resources, and public health; and
WHEREAS, 2020 will mark 50 years of Earth Day on April 22, and millions of people desire to safely mobilize on behalf of our planet and our collective health during the COVID-19 pandemic; and,
WHEREAS, We know that even seemingly small actions we take in our lives help protect the environment, improve our lives, and influence others to do the same, which will lead the way to a more sustainable planet for us now and for future generations; and
WHEREAS, We can learn and do more to influence policymakers and save our environment while we #StayatHome during the pandemic; and
WHEREAS, The One Earth Film Fest's Virtual Mini Film Festival runs throughout Earth Week 2020 to provide educational experiences to and engage with Chicagoans during the pandemic; and
WHEREAS, It is imperative, now more than ever, to cooperate locally and internationally to defend the progress we have made in environmental and public health protection; and
WHEREAS, Further progress can only be achieved if we account for and address the racial and socioeconomic disparities that threaten the most vulnerable among us; and
WHEREAS, The Trump administration and the Environmental Protection Agency continue to serve the interests of polluting industries at the expense of public health and vulnerable communities, especially communities of color, including recent administrative rules that make it easier for mercury and other cancer-causing toxins to pollute our air; and
WHEREAS, Students, residents, environmental groups, and local leaders have taken great steps to reduce plastic pollution in 2020, by reducing the prevalence of single-use plastic, like water bottles, plastic utensils, and plastic bags that destroy our lakes, rivers, and streams with nanoplastics; and
WHEREAS, Despite setbacks and insufficient recycling rates citywide, Chicagoans must continue to press for better recycling efforts and systems; and
WHEREAS, Buying locally-sourced produce helps reduce your carbon footprint, and supporting local farmers, nurseries, and community-supported agriculture or cooperatives will help our small business community; and
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WHEREAS, The closure of our local markets, farms, nurseries, and cooperatives has led to devastating impacts on our economy and our local food system, especially for populations facing food insecurity; and
WHEREAS, Our fight for environmental justice extends beyond a single day annually; now, therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED, That we, the Mayor and Members ofthe City Council ofthe City of Chicago, assembled this twenty-second day of April 2020, do hereby commit to celebrate Earth Day by continuing to fight for clean air and waterways, especially in communities that disproportionately bear the burden of pollution in our environment; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That we urge the Governor ofthe State of Illinois to support local farmers, farmers' markets, and nurseries to help provide economic security to local producers and to ensure that Illinoisans have increased access to affordable and sustainable food options during the COVID-19 pandemic; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That we support efforts by Chicagoans to mobilize virtually from their homes during this pandemic to advocate for a cleaner environment and to safeguard public health.
Scott Waguespack George Cardenas
Chairman, Finance Chairman, Committee on
Environmental Protection and Energy
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