WASHINGTON
- April 18 - Hundreds of concerned activists from Greenpeace and other groups protested President Bush's environmental assault at a "Take Back the Earth Day" rally outside the White House today. Speakers from across the nation railed against the Bush team's rollback of a decade of environmental safeguards. Activists held up placards, reading "Pollution Starts Here" with an arrow pointing to the White House.
© 2001 Greenpeace/ Cedeno
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"The environmental community is banding together to stop the Toxic Texan from committing further environmental atrocities," said Greenpeace Executive Director, John Passacantando. "When it comes to environmental policy, Bush consistently chooses the polluters over the people."
This year marks the 31st anniversary of Earth Day. The Chair of the Earth Day Network, Denis Hayes attended the Greenpeace rally in a show of support for the group's disapproval of Bush's assault on the environment. "With one of the most anti-environmental administration's in history running the country, it's vital that concerned Americans support the pro-environmental message of groups like Greenpeace," he said.
Among the many assaults Bush has made to the environment in less than 100 days are:
Reversing a campaign pledge to limit carbon dioxide pollution from power plants,
Cutting the budget for renewable energy programs,
Blocking a new rule to reduce the allowable levels of arsenic in drinking water,
Support for logging and development on 60 million acres of untouched national forests,
Plans to open the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil exploration and drilling, and
Slashing the EPA's enforcement budget.
Today's "Take Back the Earth Day" rally is the second Greenpeace activity in the days leading up to Earth Day (April 22). On Friday, April 13th, three Greenpeace activists scaled a water tower in Bush's adopted hometown of Crawford, Texas and unfurled a banner reading "Bush: The Toxic Texan - Don't Mess with The Earth."
After the rally, Greenpeace activists headed to several government agencies, including the EPA and the Department of the Interior, to leaflet and continue small demonstrations. Among the other groups that participated in the rally were Friends of the Earth, Free the Planet, American Lands, Rainforest Action Network and Health Care Without Harm.
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