Website ‘undergoing changes’ to reflect agency’s ‘new direction’, as tens of thousands protest inaction on climate in cities across the US

This article is more than 2 years old

This article is more than 2 years old

The US Environmental Protection Agency’s main climate change website is “undergoing changes” to better reflect “the agency’s new direction” under Donald Trump.

The American people – not Big Oil – must decide our climate future | Senator Bernie Sanders and Mark Jacobson Read more

The announcement, made late on Friday evening, left empty what was previously the “official government site” providing “comprehensive information on the issue of climate change and global warming”.

The change came a day before thousands gathered in Washington DC and other US cities to protest about inaction on climate change, and hours before the symbolic 100-day mark of the Trump administration.

At the marquee climate protest, the People’s Climate March in Washington, tens of thousands made their way down Pennsylvania Avenue in sweltering heat on their way to encircle the White House.

Organizers said about 300 sister marches or rallies were being held around the country, including in Seattle, Boston and San Francisco. In Chicago, marchers headed from the city’s federal plaza to Trump Tower. In Denver, marchers were met with a dose of spring snow.

Some of the marches drew celebrity attendees, including former vice-president Al Gore and actor Leonardo DiCaprio in the capital and senator and former candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination Bernie Sanders at an event in Montpelier, Vermont.

“Honored to join Indigenous leaders and native peoples as they fight for climate justice,” DiCaprio tweeted.

Any marchers who used their phones to look at the EPA climate change website would have been greeted with a message from the new administration: “This page is being updated.”

“As EPA renews its commitment to human health and clean air, land and water, our website needs to reflect the views of the leadership of the agency,” said JP Freire, an associate administrator for public affairs.

Previously, the website housed data on greenhouse gas emissions from large polluters and reports on the effects of climate change and its impact on human health.

“We want to eliminate confusion,” Freire said, “by removing outdated language first and making room to discuss how we’re protecting the environment and human health by partnering with states and working within the law.”

Information from previous administrations is archived as a link from the EPA’s website.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Demonstrators march in Chicago. Photograph: Joshua Lott/AFP/Getty Images

The EPA is currently led by Scott Pruitt, a former Oklahoma attorney general who has denied that carbon dioxide causes global warming.

The Republicans who care about climate change: 'They are done with the denial' Read more

The Trump administration has called for budget cuts of nearly one-third at the EPA and has sought to weaken protections for human health. For instance, the White House has proposed cutting funding and regulations regarding lead poisoning prevention and is considering rewriting regulations concerning smog.

It has already rolled back a law that prevented coalmining companies from dumping waste in streams.

In an op-ed piece for the Guardian published on Saturday, Sanders made an economic case for a focus on industries meant to ameliorate the effects of climate change, rather than those which contribute to it.

The senator from Vermont wrote: “No matter what agenda President Trump and his administration of climate deniers push, it is clear that jobs in clean energy like wind and solar are growing much more rapidly than jobs in the coal, oil and gas sectors.”</s>Since Trump's inauguration on January 20, many demonstrations have been held over immigration, abortion and science.

Tens of thousands of protesters are expected to turn out in Washington DC on Saturday to voice concern over climate change in a mass demonstration marking the 100th day of Donald Trump's presidency.

The Peoples Climate Marches in dozens of cities, including the US capital, are part of a broader effort to build momentum behind candidates with strong environmental records for next year's mid-term elections and the 2020 presidential race, organisers said.

"We're using this as a tactic to advance the strategy of building enough power to win on climate over the course of the long haul," said Paul Getsos, national coordinator for the Peoples Climate Movement.

Sponsors of Saturday's events include labour unions, the Sierra Club, and civil rights groups.

As a side theme, marchers will protest Trump's crackdown on undocumented immigrants and other issues championed by the maverick Republican billionaire.

Since Trump's inauguration on January 20, there have been national protests focused on issues ranging from abortion rights to immigration and science policy.

Last weekend, thousands turned out for the March for Science, a de facto protest against what activists call a denial in Trump's Washington of evidence-based science.

READ MORE: March for Science: Rallies from Washington DC to Berlin

Trump's administration is considering withdrawing from the Paris Agreement, which more than 190 countries signed in hopes of curbing global warming. Trump has also proposed deep cuts for the Environmental Protection Agency.

In his campaign, Trump called climate change a hoax. Last month he kept a promise to the coal industry by undoing climate-change rules put in place by his predecessor, Democrat Barack Obama.

Myron Ebell, a climate change sceptic at the Competitive Enterprise Institute, a libertarian think-tank, told Reuters news agency the march would have little impact on the administration.

"The real decisions are made in this country in elections, and we have now a president and a House and a Senate that are determined to pursue a pro-energy agenda," Ebell said by telephone.

WATCH: The politics of climate change in the United States

Environmental activists believe public opinion is on their side. A Gallup poll this month showed 59 percent of Americans agreed environmental protection should take priority over increased US energy production.

Trump representatives had no immediate comment on the planned protest.

In the main event in Washington, protesters will march from the Capitol to surround the White House, then hold a rally. Dozens of "sister" marches are planned for other North America locales, from Anapolish Royal, Nova Scotia, to Dutch Harbor in Alaska's Aleutian Islands.

Overseas, about three dozen events range from a protest in Vienna to a tree-planting event in Zambia.</s>As climate change becomes increasingly apparent, it becomes essential for people to adopt a green — or greener — lifestyle.

With a warming planet causing more severe weather, rising sea levels, coral reef bleaching, deforestation and habitat and species loss, gatherings like the Syracuse People’s Climate March on Saturday afternoon highlight the impact of every eco-related decision an individual makes — whether it’s choosing a LED light bulb, riding a bike or turning off the lights before leaving a room — on the entire planet.

A week following the city’s satellite March for Science, about 1,000 people took to the streets of Syracuse again in support of climate science by marching from Franklin Square to the Inner Harbor Amphitheater. A sister event of the People’s Climate March in Washington, D.C., the local rally featured a speaker series of activists and offered insight on how people can lead more sustainable lives.

Despite the success of the rally, though, getting people to care about sustainability is no simple task.

At the march, Climate Change Awareness and Action organizer Peter Wirth discussed the work of Rachel Carson, who in the 1970s published a series of articles that drew attention to the dangers of the pesticide DDT: a carcinogen poisonous to ecosystems. The series later became known as the book “Silent Spring” and was a catalyst of the modern environmental movement.

“That movement that brought about the EPA, a key administration for mitigating climate change with the National Clean Air and Water Acts, came about as a result of the first Earth Day,” Wirth said at the march. “But we are now faced with a greater challenge.”

The challenge is getting people motivated to act or, Wirth said, to “make a long-term commitment to activism.”

That commitment was made clear at the climate marches held across the United States in response to President Donald Trump’s first 100 days in office, which have been marked with controversy and resistance from environmentalists.

Since arriving at the White House, Trump’s administration has been working to undermine former President Barack Obama’s climate mitigation accomplishments. The administration has dealt intense budget cuts to the Environmental Protection Agency and has revisited the controversial construction of the Keystone XL and Dakota Access Pipelines.

“We can’t really wait around for anyone else to make a change because we know we can’t depend on the government right now, right?” said Jamie Bodenlos, an associate professor of psychology at Hobart and William Smith Colleges, at the Syracuse rally.

The crowd responded to Bodenlos with a resounding, “Right!”

“We must be the change we want to see,” Bodenlos said. “Our future generations will need us to do that.”

To be that change, rally goers were offered one big way to be more climate-friendly: to transition from gasoline-run cars to electric-run cars. Clean Communities of Central New York coordinator Barry Carr organized an electric car exhibition at the rally for the public to check out electric car options.

Vehicles at the expo included the Chevy Volt and Bolt, Nissan Leaf, Toyota Prius and the coveted Tesla. Owners volunteered to stand nearby, ready to ask questions, and hoods and trunks were popped to give observers a behind-the-scenes look of electric cars with and without motors.

“I think personally those plug-in hybrids will work better for people in central New York because we’re spread out,” Carr said in reference to the region’s population.

In the city of Syracuse, electric charging stations have become more common and are located in several locations including the Westcott neighborhood, Destiny USA and near Clinton Square. Carr said this expansion is largely due to New York state Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s avid support for electric energy.

As observers mingled around the cars and struck up conversations, the event provided a glimpse into the future. The administration continues to fail to adapt to stronger climate policies, which means ordinary people will have to make decisions about sustainability for themselves.

Our generation will likely drive electric cars, follow a quasi-vegetarian diet and charge our homes with renewable energies like wind and solar. In that case, the future is certainly bright.



 Morgan Bulman is a graduate student studying magazine, newspaper and online journalism. Her column appears weekly. She can be reached at mebulman@syr.edu and followed on Twitter @morgbulman.</s>Leonardo DiCaprio took a stand over the weekend when he supported the Climate Change March on Washington, D.C.

People reported that the actor met with indigenous leaders after making an appearance at the march Saturday.

DiCaprio, 42, reportedly kept a low-profile, wearing a newsboy cap and sunglasses during the march, but his message was loud and clear as he held a sign that read “Climate Change Is Real,” CNN reported.

The march was held on President Donald Trump’s 100th day in office and was held to protest his reversal of restrictions on mining, oil drilling and greenhouse gas emissions at coal-fired power plants.

RELATED: Val Kilmer acknowledged his health issues for the first time since rumors of a cancer diagnosis started swirling

“Honored to join Indigenous leaders and native peoples as they fight for climate justice. Join me in standing with them. #ClimateMarch,” DiCaprio posted on Twitter following the event.

DiCaprio shared on Facebook Saturday that he met with Manari Ushigua, president of Sápara Nation of Ecuadorian Amazon, who told DiCaprio about the damage oil drilling is doing to their land.

“Today’s #ClimateMarch leaves me inspired & hopeful for our future,” DiCaprio tweeted after the march. “We must continue to work together & fight for #climatejustice.”

DiCaprio has been outspoken about his feelings about the environment and even mentioned climate change in his 2016 Oscars acceptance speech.

“Climate change is real, it is happening right now, it is the most urgent threat facing our entire species and we need to work collectively together and stop procrastinating,” he said as he accepted his first-ever Oscar for his work in “The Revenant.”

Kelcie Willis of the Cox Media Group National Content Desk contributed to this report.</s>WASHINGTON - Thousands of people across the U.S. marched Saturday on President Donald Trump's 100th day in office to demand action on climate change.

At the marquee event, the Peoples Climate March in Washington, D.C., tens of thousands of demonstrators made their way down Pennsylvania Avenue in sweltering heat on their way to encircle the White House.

Organizers said about 300 sister marches or rallies were being held around the country, including in Seattle, Boston and San Francisco. In Chicago, marchers headed from the city's federal plaza to Trump Tower.

"We are here because there is no Planet B," the Rev. Mariama White-Hammond of Bethel AME Church told the crowd in Boston.

Participants said they're objecting to Trump's rollback of restrictions on mining, oil drilling and greenhouse gas emissions at coal-fired power plants, among other things. Trump has called climate change a hoax, disputing the overwhelming consensus of scientists that the world is warming and that man-made carbon emissions are primarily to blame.

More than 2,000 people gathered at the Maine State House in Augusta. Speakers included a lobsterman, a solar company owner and members of the Penobscot Nation tribe.

"I've seen firsthand the impacts of climate change to not only the Gulf of Maine, but also to our evolving fisheries, and to the coastal communities that depend upon them," said lobsterman Richard Nelson, of Friendship, Maine.

People in the crowd spoke about the importance of addressing climate change to industries such as renewable energy, forestry, farming and seafood. Saharlah Farah, a 16-year old immigrant from Somalia who lives in Portland, talked about how climate change could have a bigger toll on marginalized groups that have less financial resources.

"But I see untapped power here today," she said.

A demonstration stretched for several blocks in downtown Tampa, Florida, where marchers said they were concerned about the threat rising seas pose to the city.

People gathered on Boston Common carried signs with slogans such as "Dump Trump." Handmade signs at Seattle's march included the general — "Love Life" — and the specific — "Don't Kill Otters."

Some of the marches drew big-name attendees, including former Vice President Al Gore and actor Leonardo DiCaprio in the nation's capital and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders at a Montpelier event.

"Honored to join Indigenous leaders and native peoples as they fight for climate justice," DiCaprio tweeted.</s>DULUTH, Minn.- Hundreds of demonstrators were in Leif Erickson park Saturday, sounding the alarm of climate change.

The event started with a rally. Many speakers addressed the issue of climate change and how human activity is hurting the planet. After the short rally, demonstrators marched from Leif Erickson Park to Lake Place Park.

“We need to take action. We need to take responsibility and do what we need to do as individuals to speak to this issue, so that’s why I’m here today,” said Sue Nordin, a participant.

Participants listed some of the Trump Administration’s Policies as one of the reasons they wanted to speak out.

“President Trump’s re-evaluation of the National Monuments and National Parks for Exploitation of mining and logging and anything else that someone could make a buck off of is really, it’s infuriating. It might not be the worst thing that could happen but just the fact that our coporate masters believe the earth belongs to them and not us is really infuriating,” Margaret Kirtley-Sternberg, a participant.

The climate march in Duluth was a sister march of the Climate March in Washington DC. Many similar events took place all over the world.</s>WASHINGTON -- Tens of thousands of people have marched through the U.S. capital and in other locations around the nation for a second straight weekend, challenging President Donald Trump and his policies on climate change and the environment.

The main event in the April 29 protests, called the People's Climate March, was in Washington, D.C., where tens of thousands of people swarmed near the White House and near Trump International Hotel as temperatures soared past 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 Celsius).

Protesters expressed anger over the Trump administration's proposal of deep cuts for the Environmental Protection Agency, the federal agency that enforces U.S. environmental laws.

The White House is also considering withdrawing from the Paris Agreement, which more than 190 countries including the United States signed in hopes of curbing global warming.

And Trump has called for undoing regulations that limit coal-burning power plants, and allowing more oil and gas drilling in national parks.

During his campaign, Trump called climate change a "hoax" perpetrated to benefit China.

Marchers in Washington held signs saying, "The seas are rising and so are we" and "Don't be a fossil fool."

At least 300 similar protests were held in cities around the United States and other countries, organizers said.

While Washington crowds marched through the sweltering heat, protesters braved snow in Denver and rain in Chicago, where demonstrators gathered outside Trump Tower.

Trump, meanwhile, left Washington on April 29 to attend a campaign-like rally in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, to mark his 100th day in office.

When reporters asked what he would tell the protesters, Trump said, "“Enjoy the day, enjoy the weather."

Last weekend, thousands of scientists and their supporters rallied in Washington to criticize the Trump administration's policies on science and research.

With reporting by AP and Reuters</s>Leonardo DiCaprio joined protestors at the People’s Climate March in Washington, D.C. this weekend to remind everyone that when he’s not boinking 25-year-old models, he does really care about the environment.

The 42-year-old actor slash environmental activist reportedly marched alongside people indigenous to both North and South America. He carried a sign that said “Climate Change is real,” written on the back of a manila filing folder. Because, of course he did.

On Saturday he tweeted, “Honored to join Indigenous leaders and native peoples as they fight for climate justice. Join me in standing with them.”

According to PEOPLE, the star of the extremely grating “The Great Gatsby” joined participants who were objecting Trump’s rollback of restrictions on mining, oil drilling and greenhouse gas emissions at coal-fired power plants.

Dicaprio, who whined his way into winning an Academy Award, used his acceptance speech at the 2016 Oscars to draw attention to environmental activism. “Making ‘The Revenant’ was about man’s relationship with the natural world, a world that we collectively felt in 2015 as the hottest year in recorded history,” he said.

“Climate change is real, it is happening right now. It is the most urgent threat facing our entire species, and we need to work collectively together and stop procrastinating.”

He also urged the importance of backing political leaders who prioritize climate change, saying “We need to support leaders around the world who do not speak for the big polluters or the big corporations, but who speak all of humanity, for the indigenous people of the world, for the billions and billions of underprivileged people who will be most affected by this, for our children’s children and for those people out there who’s voices have been drowned out by the politics of greed.”

When DiCaprio isn’t proving how passionate he is about climate change, he’s hanging out with Orlando Bloom at Coachella, or spending thousands of dollars to fly his favorite eyebrow stylist across the world to make sure his brows are perfect.

Whoever said you can’t have it all never met this man, that’s for sure. May he inspire us for generations to come.</s>AUSTIN, Texas -- Thousands of people have assembled in Texas on President Donald Trump's hundredth day in office to demand federal action on climate change.

 

 The Texas Department of Public Safety told the Austin American-Statesman that about 3,500 people participated in a rally Saturday in Austin.

 

 People marched from the Capitol to the University of Texas and Democratic U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett was among the speakers who addressed the crowd.

 

 Many held signs with slogans like "Climate change is not fake science."

 

 Hundreds more gathered in Houston where Mayor Sylvester Turner told participants that climate change is "very much real."

 

 National organizers said about 300 marches were planned for around the country, with people objecting to issues like Trump's rollback of restrictions on mining and greenhouse gas emissions at coal-fired power plants.</s>Thousands of people across the U.S. marched in rain, snow and sweltering heat Saturday to demand action on climate change - mass protests that coincided with President Donald Trump's 100th day in office and took aim at his agenda for rolling back environmental protections. At the marquee event, the Peoples Climate March in Washington, D.C., tens of thousands of demonstrators made their way down Pennsylvania Avenue on their way to encircle the White House as temperatures soared into the 90s.

Start the conversation, or Read more at KATC-TV Lafayette.
Tens of thousands of people protest in Washington, D.C. to bring awareness to climate change.