May 18, 2023
5:30 PM – 8:00 PM

Fenway Park

Earth Night 2023

MAY 18, 2023
5:30PM – 8:00PM
Fenway Park, 521 Overlook

 

Earth Night 2023 was bigger and better than ever before!

On May 18, we were honored to host the largest Earth Night yet, with over 550 guests, in celebration of the recipients of the Commonwealth Environmental Leadership Awardees and ELM’s 125th Anniversary.

Congratulations to our Commonwealth Environmental Leadership Awardees who have led the way to address the climate crisis on the local, state, and federal levels: Speaker Ronald Mariano, Gina McCarthy, and Mayor Michelle Wu.

Thank you to those who joined for helping us to honor these extraordinary leaders and celebrate all that we have achieved together for the people and environment of Massachusetts. And thank you in advance for all that we will do together to build a thriving inclusive green economy for the Commonwealth.

We invite you to learn more about our sponsors, which we thank for their crucial support.

View photos from the event.

To accelerate our work to advance an equitable green economy, we are pleased to announce our 125th Anniversary Matching Campaign. ELM’s Board, Advisory Council, and Host Committee members have generously established a fund that will match gifts from those new to ELM and increased gifts from current supporters 1:1 up to $125,000. Please consider supporting our work to make the Commonwealth a beacon of climate action and share this opportunity with others who may be interested.


Thank you again to those who joined us at Earth Night. We look forward to continue working with you to secure the health and wellbeing of the environment and of future generations.

 

Meet Our Commonwealth Environmental Leadership Awardees

 

Speaker Ronald Mariano

Speaker of the MA House; MA State Representative, 3rd Norfolk District
Presented by Speaker Robert DeLeo

Speaker Ronald Mariano has served the Commonwealth for over thirty years, beginning with his election to the House in 1991. He was then appointed Majority Leader in 2011 and Speaker in 2020 and has used his authority to ensure Massachusetts promptly and effectively addresses the climate crisis. In 2021, Speaker Mariano played a key role in crafting the Next Generation Roadmap law, nation-leading climate legislation that addresses the climate impacts of transportation, buildings, and racial and economic equity. He has also prioritized the development of offshore wind and has pledged to make Massachusetts the leader of the offshore wind energy revolution. He played a pivotal role in the success of An Act Driving Clean Energy and Offshore Wind, which bolsters clean power production and creates thousands of new jobs in the process.  

A lifelong resident of Quincy, Speaker Mariano is dedicated to serving the people of Massachusetts and making our state a leader in sustainability and climate action. He has led the discussion on the ability to both combat climate change and maintain a thriving economy and has brought necessary climate urgency to Massachusetts’ government. His efforts have, and will continue to, leave a positive impact on the environment and residents of the Commonwealth.  

 

 

 

Gina McCarthy

Former White House, US Environmental Protection Agency, Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection, and Massachusetts Executive Office of Environmental Affairs leader
Presented by Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry

The first-ever White House National Climate Advisor, Gina McCarthy has been a leading advocate for air quality and environmental protection for over thirty years. Born and raised in Boston, she received her Master of Science in Environmental Health Engineering and Planning and Policy and began her career in public service as Health Agent for the City of Canton. Her passion for battling climate change and driving clean energy innovation allowed her to advance as a public servant for both Democratic and Republican administrations, and she joined the Environmental Protection Agency as Assistant Administrator for the Office of Air and Radiation in 2009. McCarthy’s common-sense strategies regarding climate change, and her ability to work across the aisle, led to her appointment as EPA administrator under President Obama in 2013, and the White House National Climate Advisor under President Biden in 2020.  

McCarthy made historic strides in demonstrating the United States’ commitment to domestic climate action, making her one of the most respected and important voices on climate change. In 2015, McCarthy signed the Clean Power Plan, which set the first-ever national standards for existent power plants to reduce carbon emissions. She also led EPA initiatives to strengthen chemical safety, reduce the health impacts of climate change, advance environmental justice both domestically and internationally, and cut air pollution. Her thorough understanding of climate impacts allowed her to work on both sides of the discussion, and her leadership has improved our nation for the past thirty years and for those to come.  

 

 

 

Mayor Michelle Wu

Mayor of Boston
Presented by Chair Aaron Michlewitz

Since her time on the Boston City Council, Mayor Michelle Wu has demonstrated bold leadership in meeting the scale and urgency of the climate crisis. Climate action lies at the forefront of her ambitious policies as Mayor, and she has taken thoughtful steps to make Boston a beacon for climate action and environmental justice; Mayor Wu’s successful campaign demonstrated that a progressive climate justice platform is what our city wants.  

Mayor Wu’s Green New Deal created a pragmatic plan for transitioning to a thriving green economy and tackling the climate crisis with an eye for addressing economic, social, and racial inequities. She has shown her commitment to fighting for public health, environmental justice, and job creation, seen through initiatives such as banning single use plastics, decarbonizing city-run buildings, and increasing renewable energy.   

As the daughter of immigrants, Mayor Wu has seen how, when run effectively, government policies can have a major impact on families. As both City Councilor and Mayor, she has fought for an equitable green transition for all of Boston’s families and been a voice for underrepresented communities. After years of Mayor Wu demonstrating commitment to climate resilience, the environmental community looks forwards to the steps she will continue to take to improve the life of Bostonians.  

 

 

 

We seek to award individuals, organizations, and corporations who are leading and implementing solutions on crucial and timely issues of climate and the environment.

See a List of Our Past Awardees

 

Thank you to our Host Committee

Victoria and Peter Bauer
Gordon Burnes and Suzie Tapson
Bob and Glenda Fishman
Linda Henry
Namrita Kapur and Tom DeWinter
Virginia Lawrence
Isabel Grantham Rappoport and John Rappoport
Bob Rivers
Gwen Ruta
Mark Walsh and Bryan Rafanelli

 

Our Sponsors

Interested in sponsoring Earth Night?
Contact ELM’s EVP,
Miriam Posner Harris, at
mharris@environmentalleague.org. 


 

More Events