Giving Compass' Take:

• Brookings offers up-to-date research and policy facts about environmental conservation, climate change and wildlife species. 

• What can we do on the individual level to fight climate change? What can we do as a collective? 

• Read about how climate change affects people in poverty and what you can do to help. 

On April 22, 1970, 20 million Americans participated in massive rallies and events across the country with the goal of raising awareness of the deterioration of the environment, and to spur government action to support a healthier and more sustainable world.

Forty-eight years later, Americans are still gathering around the country for Earth Day events, and this year the Earth Day Network has dedicated the day to provide the information and inspiration needed to fundamentally change human attitudes and behaviors about plastics.

Browse through these facts below to learn more about what Brookings experts are saying about the state of our environment and the policies that affect it.

  • US household water use is on the decline, approaching levels not seen since the mid-1990s: Many households are using less water and putting less strain on the country’s scarce water resources following the drought in the Western United States in 2017.
  • Many nations are committed to addressing the effects of climate change on oceans: Under the Paris Agreement, nations made pledges known as nationally determined contributions (NDCs) that indicate how national governments intend to reduce their greenhouse emissions and contend with climate risks.
  • The US is on track to become the world’s largest oil producer within a decade: U.S. oil production is forecast to exceed 10 million barrels per day in 2018, surpassing Saudi Arabia and behind only Russia.
  • Natural disasters lead to reductions in educational attainment and academic performance—especially for adolescent girls:  research has shown an overall reduction in educational attainment, lower academic performance, and higher rates of absenteeism among children who have experienced climate shocks.
  • The rate of wildlife extinction is at its worst since the dinosaurs died out 65 million years ago: the planet is experiencing alarming levels of species loss.

Read the full article about 5 Facts about environmental policy and research by Alison Burke at Brookings