TAL MARCH_APRIL EDITION SAVING OUR EARTH | Page 7

President ' s Message : Spring is Here

AMY B . CHENG Nelson Mullins amy . cheng @ nelsonmullins . com

S pring is finally here , and I could not be more excited ! Starting on March 19 , 2024 and lasting through May 31st , Spring is about new beginnings and transformations - it ’ s the season that symbolizes starting fresh and starting over . After months of frigid temperatures , spring “ reawakens ” us and our surrounding environment , bringing everything back to life . It is personally my favorite time in Atlanta so make sure you have had a chance to “ get out ”, smell the roses , and celebrate !

Particularly relevant as we get ready to celebrate Earth Day . Earth Day is an annual event on April 22 to demonstrate support
for environmental protection . First held on April 22 , 1970 , it now includes a wide range of events coordinated globally by Earthday . org , which includes 1 billion people in more than 193 countries . This year ’ s theme is " Planet vs . Plastics ." It is our commit to “ end plastics for the sake of human and planetary health , demanding a 60 % reduction in the production of all plastics by 2040 .” Earthday . org hopes to achieve this goal by : “( 1 ) promoting widespread public awareness of the damage done by plastic to human , animal , and all biodiversity ’ s health and demanding more research be conducted on its health implications , including the release of any and all information regarding its effects to the public ; ( 2 ) rapidly phasing out all single use plastics by 2030 and achieving this phase out commitment in the United Nations Treaty on Plastic Pollution in 2024 ; ( 3 ) demanding policies ending the scourge of fast fashion and the vast amount of plastic it produces and uses ; and ( 4 ) investing in innovative technologies and materials to build a plastic-free world .”
And , like the seasons , the Atlanta Bar Association continues to adapt and change with innovative programs and services that stay in step with the ever-changing legal landscape .
I am excited to see everyone at the “ Reception About Nothing ” in April at Greenberg Traurig , LLP or the Annual Meeting in May . In the meantime , I hope you get outside to “ smell the roses ”!
4 March / April 2024
Amy B . Cheng Atlanta Bar Association , President