On Earth Day, Poder Latinx Urges Climate Change Mitigation
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 22, 2022
CONTACT:
Jackie Smith | 989-576-1996 jsmith@poderlatinx.org
On Earth Day, Poder Latinx Urges Climate Change Mitigation
NATIONWIDE - Climate change is increasingly worsening - the latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report shared that the general population is behind on taking action before climate change begins causing irreversible damage. Latinxs are more likely to work in industries such as agriculture, manufacturing, and construction, and live in areas where exposure to the effects of climate change is higher. Poder Latinx leads a year-long environmental justice campaign- EcoPoder- to identify solutions for Latinx communities facing environmental injustices and to create tangible change through coordinated educational efforts. The EcoPoder Campaign aims to educate and empower the Latinx community to take on the climate crisis by holding our elected officials accountable, working to improve our own communities’ carbon footprint, and learning to love Madre Tierra.
Poder Latinx has released the following statement on Earth Day:
“At Poder Latinx, we understand the importance of environmental advocacy work and the negative effects of climate change on the Latinx community, one that feels its effects more acutely than the general population. To bring awareness to Earth Day this year, Poder Latinx is joining rallies with environmental justice organizations to call for climate action now. We can no longer rely on temporary solutions by putting bandaids on our planet. We need large-scale, long-term solutions and investments in our Madre Tierra. More than half of the Latinx community lives in three states that are already experiencing serious effects related to climate - California, Texas, and Florida. Having grown up in California and experiencing complications from lead traces being found in my bloodstream as a young girl, I can attest to the fact that these problems continue to persist and exacerbate among our communities. If we don’t act now, not only will our future generations grow up in an unhealthy environment, but the financial burden to backtrack on these harms will cost so much more. Without immediate action to address climate change, such as a revised reconciliation package that includes climate provisions, extreme weather events will continue to harm our communities and cost taxpayers billions of dollars to repair infrastructure. Congress needs to get this done, it’s past due.” said Yadira Sanchez, Executive Director of Poder Latinx.
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Poder Latinx’s mission is to build a political wave where Latinx communities, immigrants, and people of color are decision-makers in this country’s democracy.