Mister G performed at the “Play-In for Climate Change!” to engage children in interactive bilingual learning about environmental protection and climate change through music and dance. www.MisterGsongs.com Photo by Bill Bronrott
Oakton mom Julie Bindal gathered her daughter Amaya and son Avi for a selfie with environmental champion Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) last week at the “Play-In for Climate Action!” near the U.S. Capitol. The Bindals were among hundreds of parents and their kids from across the country that joined together on Capitol Hill to call on lawmakers to address air pollution that causes dangerous climate change and threatens children’s health.
Dubbed a "family-friendly protest” by the Moms Clean Air Force, coordinators of the day of education and congressional visits, featured call to action remarks by advocates, journalists and members of Congress, including Sen. Booker, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and U.S. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa).
“We want our children to know that they matter,” said Bindal. “We need meaningful action on climate change now because without a clean environment we won’t be around for anything else to matter. Moms and kids can make the difference!”
Among the prominent climate activists was Kristin Mink, the Washington, D.C. area teacher who recently confronted then-EPA chief Scott Pruitt at an area restaurant, just days before he resigned. “I don’t know why anyone would not care deeply about our environment,” Mink said. “This is not a partisan issue. This is not about politics. This is about the survival of the species. This is about our Earth. This is about our children and the kind of lives they and future generations are going to have.”
Moms Clean Air Force (www.momscleanairforce.org) is a community of more than 1,000,000 moms and dads united against air pollution – including the urgent crisis of our changing climate – to protect children’s health. This special project of the Environmental Defense Fund arms members with reliable information and solutions through online resources, articles, action tools, and on-the-ground events. They work across the US on national and local policy issues, through a network of state-based field teams. Moms meet with federal, state and local lawmakers on both sides of the aisle to let them know that votes for clean air and a stable climate are urgently needed to fight back against polluters and to protect children’s health.