Thomas Daschle: “more than a hundred years ago, Sitting Bull, chief of the Lakota Sioux Indians, implored Americans: ``Let us put our…”

“more than a hundred years ago, Sitting Bull, chief of the Lakota Sioux Indians, implored Americans: ``Let us put our minds together and see what life we can make for our children.'' I thought of that plea again on Saturday, April 22, the 25th anniversary of Earth Day. Much has changed since the first Earth Day. More and more, Americans recognize that conserving our natural resources and safeguarding a clean environment is in everyone's best interests. It is, as Theodore Roosevelt said, the patriotic duty of every American. Congress has attempted to fulfill that responsibility by passing laws such as the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, Safe Drinking Water Act, and the Federal Land Policy Management Act. As a result of these and other protections, the water Americans drink and the air we breathe is cleaner than it was 25 years ago. We also understand much more about how the delicate Earth system works and about the effects of human actions on the environment. For example, earth scientists have come to recognize that the Earth's climate is changing because of human actions that alter the composition of the atmosphere. Geologists tell us that global climate change could increase the frequency of droughts and floods. We now appreciate that these events can have direct socioeconomic consequences for individuals and communities. We need to build on this knowledge and our successes, not undo them.”