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Earth Day 2017 Also Marks The March For Science Where Thousands Gathered To Protest ‘Anti-Science’ Trend

By Shaunee Flowers
Published on: 08:00 PST, Apr 22, 2017

On Earth Day 2017, thousands of protesters have gathered across the globe for what should be a pretty obvious plight. They set out to prove that science does matter in a climate where science deniers continue to let loose with policies that put the longevity of our planet in danger. As the Washington Post puts it, there is no “planet B” and that has environmental activists and those who believe in climate change very worried for future generations.

People showed up for the March for Science on six different continents. It was even reported that scientists on a seventh continent, Antartica, were cheering on the efforts of those who came together on Earth Day 2017 to send a message to those who continue pushing down a path that contributes to the destruction of the planet.

As with most protests lately, the largest group gathered on the National Mall in Washington D. C. So many people showed up at the March for Science that security checkpoints were set up and the lines to get through them were two blocks long.

According to Vice News, the organization of the March for Science on Earth Day 2017 may have sprung up from a comment on Reddit. Now, the overwhelming turnout in support of scientific fact has become a protest that people in more than 600 cities worldwide felt was worthy enough of their time to turn up.

After Donald Trump’s inauguration, it was reported that references to climate change had been deleted from the White House website. That’s when a Reddit user who goes by Beaverteeth92 reportedly suggested that there be a Scientists’ March on Washington. The rest is history and today scientists and their supporters did gather in Washington and all over the globe to let Trump and those who support him know that there are plenty of people who refuse to ignore the cues of mother nature because they do not want the planet destroyed.

While March for Science organizers have been claiming repeatedly that the Earth Day 2017 demonstration is nonpartisan, the organization of this event stemmed what has been referred to as “Donald Trump’s war on science.”

Those who support the March on Science and condemn the current POTUS began organizing the protest event after Trump appointed an actual climate change denier to head the Environmental Protection Agency. Trump was criticized heavily for naming Scott Pruitt to head the EPA. Those who opposed this appointment claimed that not only was Pruitt a climate change denier, he also was likely one of the least qualified people to head the EPA considering that as Oklahoma Attorney General, he actually sued the agency multiple times.

“It’s not about the current administration,” said co-organizer and public health researcher Caroline Weinberg. “The truth is we should have been marching for science 30 years ago, 20 years, 10 years ago. … The current situation took us from kind of ignoring science to blatantly attacking it. And that seems to be galvanizing people in a way it never has before.”

Many scientists, researchers, and even students showed up in support for the March for Science. Those who spoke out during the rallies and planned speaking engagements talked about their shock at the recent shift to deny scientific evidence over ideology. Some even argued that religious values weren’t the only reason that some have opted take a stance against science. There is plenty of evidence to suggest that profit has played a huge role in the reluctance of many to embrace the believe that climate change is real and that the Earth’s resources are limited.

Where do you stand when it comes to the March for Science on Earth Day 2017? Did you participate or are you put off by the push for scientific data?

[Featured Image by David Zalubowski/AP Images]

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