HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 91-4679, by Representatives Rust, Horn, Bray, Valle, Riley, Jacobsen, Sprenkle, G. Fisher, Van Luven, Cole, Phillips, Edmondson, D. Sommers, Pruitt, Prentice, Nelson, Wood, Moyer, Neher, Belcher, Fraser, Brekke, Inslee, Leonard, Wineberry, R. King and Anderson

     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 policymakers to approve landmark environmental legislation and served to enhance and sustain the modern environmental movement; and

     WHEREAS, The primary objective of the first EARTH DAY, according to its founders, Senator Gaylord Nelson and Dennis Hayes of Camas, Washington, was to organize a nation-wide public demonstration so large it would get the attention of the politicians and force environmental issues into the political dialogue of the nation; and

     WHEREAS, For the twenty-one years following the first EARTH DAY, April 22 and its nearest weekend have been reserved as a time for reflection on the human condition and how its survival depends on the preservation of our resources:  Air, water, minerals, soil, scenic beauty, wildlife habitat, forests, rivers, lakes, and oceans; and

     WHEREAS, The future holds daunting environmental challenges such as global warming, stratospheric ozone depletion, acid rain, deforestation, soil erosion, species extinction, habitat destruction, and a massive accumulation of waste--all of which threaten to destabilize the very natural systems which sustain human life on Earth; and

     WHEREAS, EARTH DAY provides a local way to mobilize energies into a global movement that will continue to work changes in the way we treat our planet and its resources;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives recognize the value and significance of EARTH DAY by reflecting upon the importance of sustaining our planet, its resources, and its inhabitants and join in celebrating EARTH DAY 1991; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to appropriate environmental organizations in Washington State.

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

        Resolution 4679 adopted by the House of Representatives

                            April 22, 1991.

                     ________________________________

           Alan Thompson, Chief Clerk, House of Representatives