Earth Day Message
From Josh First

Earth Day began as a call to action when the Cuyahoga River caught on fire, DDT was wiping out the bald eagle, our national symbol, and manufacturing costs were minimized by dumping raw pollution into rivers and streams.

Today, Earth Day has become not a call to radical action to solve radical problems, but a common recognition and acceptance among citizens across the political spectrum that Planet Earth is finite, that its resources are not limitless, and that we must all be good stewards of those resources if we are to succeed and prosper here. Simple values like reduce, re-use, and recycle have become ingrained into everyday actions and thinking. Recognition of the role of natural capitalism and ecosystem services has become more widespread, and are slowly becoming part of policy and law.

As a lifelong hunter and fisherman, wildlife habitat and clean watersheds are crucial to my pursuits. As a father of three children, I know that resource conservation will cause my children to inherit an America as rich and beautiful as the one I grew up in.

As someone who enjoys food maybe a little too much, I recognize that all of the wonderful ingredients I enjoy in my diet must be grown somewhere. America must be able to grow its own food if it is to stay independent and sovereign. For that reason, farmland protection is critical to maintaining America's independence, its ability to feed itself, and its scenic landscapes that define who we are as a nation. This green infrastructure provides the clean air, water, and food that we often take for granted.

It is a great source of pride to me to have helped conserve tens of thousands of acres of land in Pennsylvania, and it is a defining aspect of my record and I know that the voters of Central Pennsylvania support it.