Happy Earth Day!
With the emergence of spring—the season of renewal—and Earth Day, I’ve been pondering the fate of the beautiful monarch butterfly and trying to understand what her current predicament says about our efforts to create communities where all people can achieve their fullest potential for health, safety, and wellbeing.
The monarch is a symbol of beauty and transformation. She is re-born three times during different life cycles the way human beings go through phases of life and rely on different skills and supports along the way. She’s also very sensitive to ecological changes,
scientists say, which explains why her population is in such steep decline that she may soon be declared an endangered species.
Monarch butterflies feed and lay their eggs on milkweed plants, which used to be abundant in the United States and Mexico but have been decimated by herbicides and urban development. These majestic butterflies have also faced difficult weather conditions brought on by
climate change, like droughts and wildfires in California, where many monarchs spend the winter.
I find it ironic that the predicament of the monarch butterfly—the very symbol of transformation—is calling our attention to the need for drastic transformation to save the planet and support the communities that are most vulnerable.
Human communities are not that different from kaleidoscopes of butterflies. To be healthy, we need to be able to breathe clean air and drink clean water. We need habitats that include green spaces where trees, plants, and flowers can flourish, and fruits and vegetables can grow. And we need to be safe from extremes brought on by climate change, including hurricanes, wildfires, and other catastrophic climate events.
None of this is possible without a healthy planet.
So, on Earth Day, we hope you’ll join Prevention Institute as we re-commit ourselves to taking care of our communities by taking care of our planet. Let’s stand up for climate justice and work for
policies that reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Let’s join with partners to fight against toxins and pollutants that are poisoning the communities with the fewest resources. Let’s support organizations that are leading this fight, like our Houston officemates,
Air Alliance Houston, and our colleagues at the
Center for Climate Change and Health. And let’s push our leaders to make decisions that value health, for people and our planet.
