; Whereas on Earth Day, people engage in projects, initiatives, and campaigns to protect and restore the planet including planting trees, removing litter, cleaning up coral reefs, conserving water and energy, and other environmentally responsible actions; Whereas new and continuing challenges, including climate change, polluted oceans and waterways, loss of forest, wetlands, and other wildlife habitats, reinforce the need for adequate protections for the air we breathe, the water we drink, the land we inhabit, and the animals we live alongside; Whereas the American Public Health Association declared 2017 the year of climate change and health, because changes to our climate are harming Americans health and safety, including respiratory allergies and asthma; Whereas Earth Day reaffirms our national responsibility in the global effort to combat climate change and protect our planet; Whereas Earth Day reminds us of the need to expand environmental and climate literacy not only to strengthen environmental and climate protections but also to accelerate development of green technologies and creation of green jobs; and Whereas Earth Day reminds us we must not pass a world beyond repair to our children: Now, therefore, be it