Earth Day, 2011

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Title 3--
The President

Proclamation 8657 of April 22, 2011

Earth Day, 2011

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

For over 40 years, our Nation has come together on
Earth Day to appreciate and raise awareness about our
environment, natural heritage, and the resources upon
which generations of Americans have depended. Healthy
land and clean water and air are essential to the
health of our communities and wildlife. Earth Day is an
opportunity to renew America's commitment to preserving
and protecting the state of our environment through
community service and responsible stewardship.

From the purity of the air we breathe and the water we
drink to the condition of the land where we live, work,
and play, the vitality of our natural resources has a
profound influence on the well-being of our families
and the strength of our economy. Our Nation has a proud
conservation tradition, which includes countless
individuals who have worked to safeguard our natural
legacy and ensure our children can benefit from these
resources. Looking to the future of our planet,
American leadership will continue to be pivotal as we
confront the environmental challenges that threaten the
health of both our country and the globe.

Today, our world faces the major global environmental
challenge of a changing climate. Our entire planet must
address this problem because no nation, however large
or small, wealthy or poor, can escape the impact of
climate change. The United States can be a leader in
reducing the dangerous pollution that causes global
warming and can propel these advances by investing in
the clean energy technologies, markets, and practices
that will empower us to win the future.

While our changing climate requires international
leadership, global action on clean energy and climate
change must be joined with local action. Every American
deserves the cleanest air, the safest water, and
unpolluted land, and each person can take steps to
protect those precious resources. When we reduce
environmental hazards, especially in our most
overburdened and polluted cities and neighborhoods, we
prioritize the health of our families, and move towards
building the clean energy economy of the 21st century.

To meet this responsibility, Federal and local programs
will continue to ensure our Nation's clean air and
water laws are effective, that our communities are
protected from contaminated sites and other pollution,
and that our children are safe from chemicals, toxins,
and other environmental threats. Partnerships and
community-driven strategies, like those highlighted by
the America's Great Outdoors Initiative, are vital to
building a future where children have access to outdoor
places close to their homes; where our rural working
lands and waters are conserved and restored; and our
parks, forests, waters, and other natural areas are
protected for future generations.

On Earth Day, we recognize the role that each of us can
play in preserving our natural heritage. To protect our
environment, keep our communities healthy, and help
develop the economy of the future, I encourage all
Americans to visit www.WhiteHouse.Gov/EarthDay to learn
ways to protect and preserve our environment for
centuries to come.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the
United States of America, by virtue of the authority
vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the
United States, do hereby proclaim April 22, 2011, as
Earth Day. I encourage all Americans to participate in
service programs and activities that will protect our
environment and contribute to a prosperous, healthy,
and sustainable future.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this
twenty-second day of April, in the year of our Lord two
thousand eleven, and of the Independence of the United
States of America the two hundred and thirty-fifth.