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Celebrating Earth Day: $11B invested, 14K clean energy jobs in Arizona

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Celebrating Earth Day: B invested, 14K clean energy jobs in Arizona

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A coalition of environmental groups will host an afternoon block party April 21 near the state capitol in Phoenix to raise awareness about climate change.

The “Climate Solutions Now Earth Day Block Party” will celebrate Earth Day in advance and highlight what proponents call the significant progress being made in the fight against climate change.

The free event will include guest speakers, family activities such as art projects, live music and free food. A similar block party was held in 2022.

The block party, hosted by Climate Solutions Now, will tout President Biden’s climate and clean-energy investments, which proponents say have generated about $10.6 billion in investments around Arizona while creating more than 14,000 jobs.

Speakers will address topics ranging from carbon-emissions rules for power plants to tree planting and Arizona-specific issues, said Sandy Bahr, director of the Sierra Club’s Grand Canyon chapter. Activities for children will include cornhole, ring-toss games and sidewalk chalk coloring, she added.

Most of these projects involve solar power, large-scale battery-storage projects, electric vehicles and improvements to the electrical grid. They include a giant battery storage plant being built by LG Energy Solutions in Queen Creek and a battery-storage project in north Phoenix that will be used by utility Arizona Public Service.

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The event’s partners are calling for more projects and actions to meet the president’s goal of slashing climate pollution in half by 2030.

The block party April 21 will run from noon to 3 p.m. at Wesley Bolin Memorial Plaza, 1700 W. Washington St. in Phoenix.

The coalition of event organizers includes the Sierra Club Grand Canyon chapter, Moms Clean Air Force, Poder Latinx, Elders Climate Action, Arizona Interfaith Power and Light, Rural Arizona Engagement, Climate Psychiatry Alliance, Arizona Youth Climate Coalition, Arizona Alliance of Retired Americans, Physicians for Social Responsibility, NextGen America and Climate Power.

Earth Day, a global series of events designed to raise awareness of environmental issues, is scheduled for April 22.

Reach the writer at russ.wiles@arizonarepublic.com.

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