| What is Earth Day? | | | | and college campuses' newspaper editors. In |
| While you have probably heard the words "Earth | | | | November 1969, he formally announced a nationwide, |
| Day", did you know there are two observations of | | | | environmental teach-in, called Earth Day, would be |
| Earth Day? The United Nations celebrates on the | | | | held in the spring of 1970. As the event became |
| equinox; hundreds of countries celebrate Earth Day | | | | headline news, the public reacted enthusiastically. |
| annually on April 22nd. Both events were birthed in | | | | Nelson first handled Earth Day public relations from his |
| 1969, with grassroots efforts, a focus on | | | | senate office, but with the public's overwhelming |
| environmental awareness, and celebration of Earth. | | | | interest, the office moved into its own organization. |
| Events to Leading to Earth Day | | | | Founder of Common Cause John Gardner helped with |
| Prior to 1970, conservatism was an idea held by a | | | | a temporary office, and college students helped field |
| minority of people. The notion that natural resources | | | | the office. Nelson appointed Dennis Hayes as |
| would become devastated to the point of extinction | | | | coordinator of activities. |
| did not enter our collective thought. Pollution, from | | | | Approximately 20 million people celebrated the first |
| our buildings, cars, and behavior, was a normal | | | | Earth Day. In America, participation was high in |
| industry by-product. The idea of being the world's | | | | schools, which ten thousand grade schools and high |
| steward was lumped in a mindset of 'a hippie thing' | | | | schools, two thousand colleges participating. Amazing |
| and not understood by mainstream America. Two | | | | numbers, considering the event started as a |
| previous events tilted our environmental awareness: a | | | | grassroots movement. |
| book and a picture. | | | | Government Actions |
| In 1962, marine biologist Rachel Carson published | | | | The strength of the Earth Day movement was clear |
| Silent Spring. The book talked about the commonly | | | | to legislatures. Following Earth Day's success, the U.S. |
| used, toxic pesticides used in agriculture and daily life. | | | | government passed laws that targeted cleaner living. |
| The title referred to the consequences of the | | | | In 1970, The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency |
| devastating pesticides: a world without birds. | | | | was established. The Clean Air Act followed with a |
| Surprisingly, Silent Spring became a hit. Americans | | | | focus on reducing air pollution, with the Clean Water |
| cared, and they wanted the facts. | | | | Act doing likewise for water clean-up in 1972. The |
| In 1968, the world saw the entire Earth for the first | | | | U.S. also passed the Endangered Species Act to |
| time. Apollo astronauts photographed the planet on | | | | protect animals from extinction. |
| their flight home from the moon. The Earth looked | | | | Mainstream Americans talked about recycling and |
| beautiful with its swirls of blues and whites. The | | | | conservation. In the 1980's, many people recycled |
| photo provided a startling awareness: people saw | | | | within their neighborhood recycling programs. People's |
| Earth as vulnerable and needing human care. | | | | awareness of their ecological responsibility became |
| Earth Day is Born | | | | part of their lives and actions. Children learned the |
| In 1969, John McConnell promoted Earth Day as a | | | | importance of taking care of their environment; they |
| global celebration of Earth's gifts. The equinox | | | | were taught to care for the earth and its animals. |
| seemed fitting time, as it was the mid-point of spring | | | | The iconic Smokey Bear (originated in the mid 1940's) |
| and autumn across the hemispheres. A peace activist, | | | | featured poster slogans, like "If not you, who?" and |
| McConnell first presented his Earth Day idea to an | | | | "Only you can prevent forest fires. We can't." |
| audience at the UNESCO Conference on the | | | | Americans seemed to step-up to their roles as Earth |
| Environment. He wanted Earth Day to be a global | | | | trustees. |
| holiday, where the world celebrates Earth's wonders | | | | In the 1990's, recycling programs reduced overall |
| and gifts. | | | | waste by twenty percent. With people and |
| On March 21, 1970, cities across the globe celebrated | | | | government taking responsibility, companies followed |
| Earth Day. McConnell created an Earth Day | | | | suit. Manufacturers looked at ways to reduce toxic |
| proclamation that called upon people to take action | | | | by-products and appear environmentally responsible |
| against crises of the world, such as famine, war, and | | | | to their customers. Their marketing campaigns |
| poverty. The proclamation also stated that | | | | highlighted eco-friendly actions, like reducing |
| participants would celebrate an international Earth Day | | | | environmental waste. |
| to create a single community and embrace Earth's | | | | Resurgence |
| gifts. The proclamation was endorsed by well-known | | | | Even with progressive responsibility, people did not |
| people and leaders around the world: astronaut Buzz | | | | celebrate Earth Day as they had in the beginning |
| Aldrin, anthropologist Margaret Mead, | | | | year. Celebrations were still held, but they weren't as |
| inventor-scientist Buckminister Fuller, Japanese | | | | widely attended or announced. In 1990, the original |
| environmental scientist, Y. Fukushima, American | | | | Earth Day coordinator, Dennis Hayes, organized a |
| senators, U.N. President S.O. Adebo, and UN | | | | worldwide Earth Day. For the thirtieth anniversary of |
| Secretary-General Thant. | | | | Earth Day, Hayes planned for a global celebration, |
| In April of 1970, the world celebrated another Earth | | | | with participation from countries around the world. |
| Day event. The April 22nd event also began as a | | | | The event was observed by 200,000 people across |
| way to spread awareness of environmental issues. | | | | the globe. The movement continued with recognition |
| American Senator and conservationist, Gaylord | | | | that environmental issues impacted the world and |
| Nelson, had actively toured the U.S. in the mid 1960's | | | | spurred the international community to work as a unit |
| with an environmental awareness agenda. Wanting | | | | and combat its shared problems. In 1992, leaders at |
| the U.S. government to take an active role in | | | | the United Nations Conference on Environment and |
| environmental concerns, Nelson presented the idea | | | | Development (UNCED) recognized their joint |
| for a national conservationist tour to President | | | | responsibility and planned for future projects on |
| Kennedy, who supported the idea. While President | | | | sustainable living. |
| Kennedy's tour did not turn environmental issues into | | | | Earth Day Birthday |
| mainstream conversations, it was a beginning in | | | | In 2009, visionary Simon Ford led a grassroots effort |
| changing America's role in environmental issues. Nelson | | | | on the internet. This global community focused on a |
| was inspired by college campuses' widespread | | | | renewed urgency about environmental issues. Their |
| Vietnam protests, or teach-ins. He thought a | | | | first major campaign focused on worldwide |
| nationwide conservationist teach-in would get more | | | | environmental crises, the responsibility of mankind to |
| Americans involved in environmental issues. | | | | solve them, and a project to unite participants across |
| Nelson presented his Earth Day idea to other | | | | the world. The event, Earth Day Birthday, formed, as |
| government officials and news organizations. He | | | | a global event to celebrate Mother Nature's gifts. |
| promoted Earth Day to senators, governors, mayors, | | | | |