I always feel inspired at this time of year, when the Goldman Environmental Prize is announced and we have an opportunity to learn about the amazing achievements of environmental leaders throughout the world.  The Goldman Prize reminds me of the critical change that all of us can make — even those of us who often feel small or voiceless. I remember how I felt in 1999 when I received the Goldman Prize; that I had done nothing extraordinary at all, I had simply done what I had to do. I'm sure that this year's winners feel the same way:  overwhelmed, excited, humbled, and wondering "what's the big deal?" But there can be no bigger deal than protecting the planet and its people, ever since that time I've realized that everyone, whether they come from the jungle, the village, the mountains or the city, can be an environmental hero.

My friend Randall Arauz, who takes great risks to stop poachers from the cruel practice of shark finning in Costa Rica, is among this year's Goldman Prize winners. Thanks to his hard work, there is a new national fisheries law in Costa Rica requiring all sharks to be landed with their fins intact. Randall's bravery and commitment is truly extraordinary, but I can also tell you that he's a normal guy like all of us. It's been six years since we were roommates in London, when we both received a Whitley Award for Nature, but the jokes and good times we shared seem like they were only yesterday.  Congratulations, Randall — I hope we can celebrate together again sometime soon!

2010 Goldman Environmental Prize Recipients

While I don't personally know the rest of the 2010 Goldman Environmental Prize winners, I am very proud to be connected to them all, both as a fellow Prize winner and through the issues and strategies that define our work.  Thuli Brillance Makama, for instance, won a landmark case in Swaziland that enables local communities to have input in decisions that affect their environment and livelihoods. Like EarthRights International, she's successfully using the law as a tool for justice, and to give people a voice in legal systems where before they were silenced.  I am also proud to be part of the same global community as Lynn Henning, who exposed the heavy health and environment costs of concentrated animal feeding operations in the USA; as Humberto Rios Labrada, who in a time of serious food shortages in Cuba works with local farmers to increase agricultural biodiversity and organic production; as Tuy Sereivathana from Cambodia, who, together with local villagers, has mitigated elephant and human conflicts, allowing more space for the threatened wild population of these magnificent creatures; and as Malgorzata Gorska, who successfully fought to protect Poland's Rospuda Valley, and its surrounding forests, from a major highway development.  Like my fellow prize winners of 11 years ago, all of this year's prize winners have done amazing work to draw attention to the diversity of environmental challenges we face today.  The work and the words of all the Goldman Prize recipients highlight the power of people to make change. Their stories tell of local community knowledge, participation, sacrifice and dedication, and working together to contribute to the development of new methods to replenish and protect the environment.  They also challenge all of us to ask what more WE can do to stop the needless destruction and abuse of the only planet we have.   

At EarthRights International we will continue our work to hold corporations accountable for earth rights abuses, pushing for legislation and pursuing litigation to protect human rights and the environment throughout the world. Every day at our EarthRights Schools I witness the power of our students, and their communities throughout Burma and the Mekong region, who work to protect their livelihoods and their environments from the harms of large development projects. Our campaigns and advocacy work seeks to emulate and support these courageous environmental heroes, who are also just doing what they feel they have to do.

Today, Earth Day, is an important day, focusing our attention on the critical environmental work we must do, but the Goldman Prize winners show us how to pursue that work every day of the year. I hope you will join me, today and every day, in honoring these amazing Goldman Prize winners – as well as all those who work to protect the earth and its people – by joining and supporting this global environmental movement. Let's all step up and do our own heroic piece. Let's work together to ensure participation and raise community voices and strengthen our use of the law as a tool for justice. Let's create new strategies to protect human rights and the environment from corporations and other agencies that seek profit to the detriment of the environment and people's health and livelihoods. I am heartened, every year, to see more and more people joining this movement, combining the power of local and international work, creating new policies and passing legislation to protect human rights and the environment. You all deserve this award. Thank you for your dedication, commitment, persistence, and for being who you are.