Hey! Today is Earth Day! Let’s celebrate the Earth! And do our part to not screw it up any more than it already is! What is Wisconsin’s new governor, Gov. Tony Evers, doing to commemorate the holiday? (A holiday that was created in 1970 by Wisconsin’s own Sen. Gaylord Nelson, by the way.) The usual: issuing a joint press release with Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes, and attending a press conference for a new 24-pack of Spotted Cow.
First, the Cow. Evers will be on hand today at the Menasha Packaging headquarters in Neenah to celebrate the unveiling of the new Wisconsin-made packaging for the Wisconsin-made beer. New Glarus Brewing President and founder Deb Carey will be there, too, along with Menasha Packaging President Mike Riegsecker. Eat your heart out, Spotted Cow-sipping Tammy Baldwin!
Anyway, cue the dutiful response from Evers’ GOP opponents!
Q: Why is @GovEvers is holding a news conference to talk about 24-can packs of beer, apart for wanting to do a favor for one of his major donors? A: Because it’s Earth Day and he wants to distract from his lousy environmental record. https://t.co/l75cqX9VV1
— Wisconsin GOP (@wisgop) April 22, 2019
Sigh. And here’s that Earth Day press release. We’re still waiting on those deer hunting videos.
MADISON — Gov. Tony Evers and Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes today released the following joint statement commemorating Earth Day, 2019:
“Our state has a rich history of defending and preserving Wisconsin’s water, air, and natural heritage—from our Indigenous communities to people like John Muir and Governor Gaylord Nelson. Today, we celebrate Earth Day because of Governor Nelson’s vision to protect our planet’s most valuable resources.
“From the air we breathe to the water we drink, the actions we take today will have a lasting effect on the world we live in tomorrow. Earth Day is a time to be thankful for our planet and the natural resources it provides us. It also reminds us of the responsibility we have as stewards of our planet to do everything we can to protect it.
“Our administration is working vigorously to make Wisconsin a leader, once again, in defending our air, water, health, and communities. We’re embracing science, investing in research, and identifying ways to encourage our state’s businesses and communities to make smart energy choices. For far too long, leaders have ignored the devastating impact climate change is having on our state—but those days are over. We’re taking bold action against climate change and investing in renewable energy.
“The Earth does not belong to one political party or another. Climate change and the impact it is having on our communities is something we need to address together. The future of our state and our planet depends on it.”