Rain Does Not Dampen Spirits on Earth Day

Rain poured down on the Earth Day Celebration on Sunday April 22 on the Washington Mall, but that did not dampen the spirits of those who attended. View our pictures from the weekend which featured a sculpture of the Earth made from recycled products by renowned sculpture Tom Tsuchiya, a rally from the group iMatter, and a concert headlined by rock group Cheap Trick.

Atlas Recycled is a 7-foot-tall sculpture by Tom Tsuchiya depicting the mythical Greek titan Atlas bearing the earth on his shoulders doubles as a recycling receptacle for aluminum cans and plastic bottles. In addition to being a recycling aid, Altas itself was made primarily from reused materials. Pieces of 14 used atlases and road maps cover the entire surface of the sculpture. Most of the rigid foam, polymer and steel that form the structure were reused from the creation of some of the artist’s previous sculptures.

iMatter, which marched on the Mall in the rain on Sunday, is a campaign of Kids vs Global Warming, committed to creating opportunities for the voices of youth to be heard on the climate crisis issue. Five 16-17 year old plaintiffs have sued the US government for jeopardizing their future by failing to address climate change. The government has a legal responsibility to protect the atmosphere as a public trust, for all generations. Youth from the iMatter network across the country have taken legal action to demand that the courts recognize the atmosphere as a commons that needs to be protected.

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