Saturday, April 18, 2015, is the day the City of Tucson has chosen to celebrate Earth Day. It is also the Global Day of Action against the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). This is a particularly fitting bit of serendipity since this year’s Tucson Earth Day has been co-opted by corporations trying to “green wash” their poor environmental records. Booo.
Seriously? Rosemont Mine and Tucson Electric Power (TEP) are two corporate sponsors of Earth Day? Rosemont Mine has been fighting tirelessly to destroy the Scenic Santa Rita Montains and suck our water supply dry. TEP still burns coal and is fighting to suppress solar power conversion.
So– Progressive Democrats of America (PDA) Tucson is combining its presence at the Tucson Earth Day festival with the TPP Global Day of Awareness. It’s a perfect fit. Don’t let dirty corporate donors co-opt an event that was created to honor the Mother Earth and remind us to care for her. Don’t let Raytheon, Rosemont Mine, Materion, Tucson Electric Power, and others “green wash” their poor environmental records with well-placed public relations. (For background, check out this great story in the Weekly by activist James Jordan.)
And, while you’re protesting corporate takeover on a community festival, don’t forget the TPP– the Grand Daddy of corporate takeovers.