Thank you for being part of Earth Day 2001, which was an extraordinary success. Millions of people joined in thousands of activities in almost every country on Earth, confirming that Earth Day is one of the most widely celebrated events in the world.

For those of you with web access, check out the Earth Day 2001 Worldwide report at: www.earthday.net/events/2001.stm

Here are just a few highlights from Earth Day 2001.

CLEAN ENERGY: Across the planet, people raised their voices in a united demand for clean energy. In Tanzania, hundreds of people rallied to raise awareness of Mt Kilimanjaro's melting snowcaps. Turkey unveiled a public transport station powered by solar energy. Clean energy events were also held in China, Burkina Faso, Nigeria, India, Pakistan, Mexico, Tajikistan, Guatemala, Uruguay, Colombia, Nicaragua, Buenos Aires, Canada and USA.

EARTH CAR FREE DAY: Earth Day 2001 established the first ever Earth Car Free Day. Millions of people in 30 countries participated in bike rallies, street festivals, and car-free programs. Hong Kong hosted a Clear the Air mask parade and a huge outdoor Clean Air festival. Five cities in Bangladesh blocked off major avenues to two-stroke vehicles. Every city in Korea held concerts, exhibitions and bicycle rallies in streets blocked from traffic. Major car-free actions or bike rallies were also held in Sri Lanka, Canada, Czech Republic, India, Taiwan, Nepal, Indonesia, South Korea, and many other countries.

DIVE IN TO EARTH DAY: The second annual Dive In To Earth Day activities engaged an estimated 32,500 people in 46 countries. Underwater and beach cleanups resulted in the removal of approximately 34,000 pounds (15,455 kg) of rubbish from oceans, coral reefs, beaches, lakes and bays.

TREE PLANTINGS linked deforestation to war, mining, poverty and the displacement of indigenous people. Six thousand tree seedlings were planted in schools in Kenya, and other tree planting events were held across the African continent. In other regions, teenagers in a low-income town in Argentina planted a tree for each child born during the year and, in China, Taiwanese and Chinese families came together near the Great Wall to plant trees for the future. In Ukraine, trees were planted on the alley dedicated to victims of Chernobyl.

INDIGENOUS PEOPLES: Linking climate change to human rights and the ecological impacts of fossil fuels, indigenous peoples on four continents released a joint Earth Day Solidarity Statement that called for energy without blood. Indigenous activities accompanying the release of the statement were held in Ecuador, Nigeria, Mexico, and four cultural regions of Indonesia.

GREENING POLITICS: All over the world, citizens used Earth Day 2001 to push for environmental responsibility in politics. In Quebec, teach-ins and rallies educated the public about the true costs of free trade without environmental safeguards. Groups across the planet committed to an international day of action involving a boycott against ExxonMobil in retribution against the U.S. President's decision to withdraw from the Kyoto treaty. In Italy, a group of physicians published an open letter to the U.S. President expressing their concern about the impact on human health of the U.S. withdrawal from the Kyoto treaty.

For more details of the many Earth Day events and actions which occurred across the planet, please visit www.earthday.net/dir/event.asp

Together, who says we can't change the world?

For the Earth,

Earth Day Network Worldwide Team:

Serryn Janson
Vickery J. Prongay
Helen Couture Rodriguez
Sierra James
Leigh-Anne Havemann

Earth Day Network
811 First Avenue, Suite 454
Seattle, WA 98104 USA
Tel: + 1.206.876.2002
Fax: + 1.206.876.2015
worldwide@earthday.net
http://www.earthday.net