HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 95-4683, by Representatives Rust, Horn, Jacobsen, Reams, Mastin, Sehlin, Regala, Veloria, Chappell, Cole, Grant, Dickerson, Poulsen, Tokuda, Cody, Valle, Conway, Sommers, Ogden, Chopp, Costa, R. Fisher, Dellwo, Appelwick, Patterson, Ebersole, Hatfield, Morris, Romero, Kessler, Kremen, Mason, G. Fisher and Thibaudeau

       WHEREAS, Saturday, April 22, 1995, is the twenty-fifth anniversary of Earth Day and people all across the state of Washington and our nation will take part in activities to enhance and improve our environment; and

       WHEREAS, The nation's first Earth Day in April 1970 was conceived by Denis Hayes of Camas, Washington as a long-term endeavor to build a planet that would be clean, healthy, and sustainable; and

       WHEREAS, The primary objective of the first Earth Day was to organize a nationwide public demonstration so large it would get the attention of politicians and force environmental issues into the political dialogue of the nation; and

       WHEREAS, On April 22, 1970, an estimated twenty million Americans participated in a far-reaching public demonstration called Earth Day; and

       WHEREAS, This first Earth Day was successful in encouraging policy makers to approve landmark environmental legislation including the Clean Air Act in 1970, the Clean Water Act in 1972, and the Endangered Species Act in 1973; and

       WHEREAS, Since that first Earth Day in April 1970, air pollution levels across the country have decreased by more than one-third despite the fact that there are two times as many cars on the road and Americans are driving twice as many miles each year; almost two-thirds of the bodies of water in the United States today are safe for fishing and swimming, compared to only one-third in 1972; and the symbol of our great nation, the bald eagle, is no longer on the endangered species list; and

       WHEREAS, The future holds further daunting environmental challenges for our state, the nation, and the world, such as global warming, stratospheric-ozone depletion, acid rain, deforestation, soil erosion, species extinction, habitat destruction, and a massive accumulation of waste.  All of these issues threaten to destabilize the very natural systems that sustain human life on Earth; and

       WHEREAS, The state of Washington, in partnership with local governments can and must make major contributions to solving our environmental and natural resource problems through land use, transportation, solid waste, wastewater treatment, and zoning decisions that work in concert with our environment; and

       WHEREAS, Washington cities and counties currently operate numerous ride-sharing, recycling, energy and water conservation, and hazardous waste programs that depend on widespread understanding, participation, and respect for all of our natural resources; and

       WHEREAS, In Washington state, Earth Day 1995 will reach beyond existing environmental constituencies to involve the broadest possible cross-section of society, including youth, business, environmental, labor, cultural, religious, and community groups;

       NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the Washington State House of Representatives recognize the value and significance of Earth Day as a special occasion to renew our commitment to protect and clean our home, planet Earth; and

       BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives urge all citizens in the state of Washington to participate in the twenty-fifth anniversary of Earth Day on April 22, 1995; and

       BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives rededicate its commitment to our planet Earth and to the environmental legacy we leave to our future generations.

              I hereby certify this to be a true and correct copy of

              Resolution 4683 adopted by the House of Representatives

                        Rules Committee on April 22, 1995.

                         ________________________________

                          Timothy A. Martin, Chief Clerk