For Immediate ReleaseContacts:
Denice Zeck
[email protected]
202-355-8875
—
Eleanor Kerlow
[email protected]
301.335.8141
Earth Day Network Joins March for the Ocean Efforts to Protect and Save Our Oceans
(Washington DC) Earth Day Network, the largest recruiter for the environmental movement and the organization that launched the End Plastic Pollution campaign for 2018 and organized March for Science in DC and around the world, is working with March for the Ocean to bring attention to the global crisis facing our oceans today.
In the wake of an early onset of hurricane season, a large-scale March for the Ocean in Washington D.C. has grown into a world-wide movement of organizations and individuals spanning maritime business, conservation, science, social justice, and student groups.
Those who cannot attend in DC have taken up action in their own local communities with sister events from San Francisco to Dublin, Saipan to Rio de Janeiro.
March for the Ocean is about the survival of our blue planet. Some of the local events that are happening:
On
Saturday, June 9, 2018,
join the March for the Ocean in
Washington D.C., join one of many simultaneous marches, flotillas, and water celebrations across the country and
Wear Blue for the Ocean!
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS IN WASHINGTON, DC
JUNE 08.
On World Oceans Day, welcome Ocean Advocate and Paddler Margo Pellegrino as she lands in Washington, DC, after paddling for 3 weeks, from Atlantic City, NJ. She is set to arrive in the late afternoon at the
Anacostia Community Boathouse, 1900 M. St., SE, Washington, DC. We want to greet her with cheers and signs. Then head down the road to the sign making party.
March for the Ocean and
Earth Conservation Corps will be sponsoring a
sign making party 4pm on June 8th at The Matthew Henson Earth Conservation Center located directly next to the DC United Stadium and by the Anacostia River on
2000 Half Street SW. This will be a great opportunity to meet other activists and supporters in the area and get together to make fun and impactful designs. If you cannot attend, check out our
toolkit page and
download M4O posters or design your own.
March for the Ocean and
the International Ocean Film Festival will be sponsoring “Ocean Films Under the Stars” a free selection of engaging short films and documentaries on the state of our coasts and ocean and the people who depend on them. This free open-air film showing running from 8:30-10:30 PM will take place at the march stage at the NW corner of the Washington Monument grounds by 17
th St. and Constitution Avenue NW.
JUNE 09.
8 AM – Join
Margo Pellegrino at the Anacostia Community Boathouse, and on the water, as she leads an armada of kayaks, canoes, sups and dragon boats to Paddle to the March for the Ocean. They will be on the water from the Anacostia River to the Potomac River and dock at
The Wharf, 1100 Maine Ave, SW, Washington, DC. They are highlighting how water connects every place to the Ocean. Every country is Ocean Country. Then they will make their way to the March for the Ocean.
11 AM – Gather at the NW corner of the Washington Monument Grounds by 17th St. & Constitution Ave. (Closest Metro Station: Smithsonian/National Mall) Look for the giant blue whale & smaller pod of whales.
11:30-Noon Special guest musician performance.
NOON – March past the White House and around Lafayette Square before returning to staging area (60-90 minute walk or approximately 1.5 mile loop). Wear comfortable walking shoes, blue clothing (Wear Blue for the Ocean), a shade cap, ocean-safe sunblock and carry a canteen – this will be a plastic free march.
1:30 – 3:30 PM – Main Stage – Join with Dr. Sylvia Earle, Philippe and Ashlan Cousteau, Danni Washington Carl Safina, Sea Youth Rise Up, Hannah4Change, Heirs to Our Oceans, and many other ocean and water champions including artists and musicians to celebrate our blue world and say NO to Offshore Drilling, NO to Plastic pollution NO to rising seas and other climate disasters and YES to job-generating renewable energy, YES to corporate accountability to reduce waste and YES to the protection of living shorelines a healthy ocean and clean water for all!
“After a successful launch of our campaign we continue to mobilize our global network of NGOs, grassroots organizations, campus youth, mayors and other local elected leaders, faith leaders, artists and athletes, and students and teachers. We are building a world of educated consumers, voters and activists of all ages who understand the environmental, climate and health consequences of using plastic,” said
Kathleen Rogers, President of Earth Day Network.
Plastic pollution is threatening our oceans at an accelerted rate, notes Rogers. The “Great Pacific Garbage Patch” in the Pacific Ocean, which is a mixture of marine debris, microplastics and other debris —now covers an area three times the size of France. And it is just one of the five ocean gyres where plastic has collected.”
From poisoning and injuring marine life to the ubiquitous presence of plastics in our food to disrupting human hormones and causing major life-threatening diseases and early puberty, the exponential growth of plastics is threatening our planet’s survival. “There is a growing tidal wave of interest in ending plastic pollution and some countries and governments are already in the vanguard. Earth Day Network believes we can turn that tidal wave into a permanent solution to plastics pollution,” said Rogers.
“Together, we can have a healthy Blue Planet with jobs, equity and clean water for all,” said
David Helvarg, executive director of Blue Frontier Campaign and Chair of the March for the Ocean Steering Committee. “We have the solutions to oil, plastic and carbon pollution. This march is about building the political will to enact them now and in the next election.”
For more information go to:
www.marchfortheocean.org. Follow March for the Ocean on our
Facebook Page,
Twitter and
YouTube. #MarchForTheOcean #M4O #OceanIsRising #SoAreWe #WearBlue
For more information about Earth Day Network and the End Plastic Pollution campaign go to:
www.earthday.org. Follow EDN on our
Facebook Page and
Twitter or follow us on #EarthDay #EndPlasticPollution
