Earth Day is an annual event celebrated on April 22 to demonstrate support for environmental protection. First held on April 22, 1970, it now includes a wide range of events coordinated globally including 1 billion people in more than 193 countries. This April we will be celebrating the fifty second anniversary of Earth Day. The theme for Earth Day 2022 is “Invest in our Planet”.

On April 12th the city of Nashua Environment and Energy Committee (EEC) will be holding a community discussion on sustainability at the Nashua Public Library Theatre starting at 5:30 PM. The city Manager of the EEC will provide the residents an update on sustainability goals and progress on renewable energy in Nashua followed by a Q&A session with several panelists. A brain storm session after the Q&A session will provide Nashua residents the opportunity to share with the EEC their ideas on how Nashua can achieve its sustainability goals.

For many years now, scientists have been warning about the catastrophic results on the climate if the world reaches average temperatures of 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. According to the World Research Institute, global temperatures have risen by 1.1°C so far, and already we are seeing an increase in natural disasters such as flooding, hurricanes, droughts and large fires throughout the western part of the United States, and other events.

The recently released International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report 2022 warns that the world is set to reach the 1.5°C level within the next two decades and concluded that only the most drastic cuts in carbon emissions from now will help prevent an environmental disaster. To prevent global warming reaching 1.5°C will require the committed and coordinated effort of all nations. In the spirit of “Think Global, Act Local” we can and must transform our NH fossil fuel centric energy policies toward sustainable renewable energy. There is much we can do and the city Nashua is at the forefront in NH of setting goals and taking action towards a more livable future.