Harnessing the Power of Storytelling for Earth Day

22 April 2019, Washington, DC - To mark Earth Day and the importance of committing ourselves to protect our planet, as did 20 million Americans who marched for the deteriorating environment in 1970, FAO North America convened a reception. The event featured remarks by Denis Hayes, organizer of the first Earth Day, and Kaitlin Yarnall, Senior Vice President of Storytelling at National Geographic.

“The environmental movement can use storytelling to put a human face to all the statistics”, Hayes said. “In the 70s, it was about creating the EPA, the Clean Water act, and the Endangered Species act. Today, we need urgent leadership and international collaboration to address the Climate Crisis.”

Yarnall complimented his remarks by sharing that a scientific report alone will not lead to action or policy change. “After Into the Okavango premiered and some meetings, the Angolan government committed to protecting the Okavango Delta headwaters,” said Yarnall.