Build A Kinder Earth

Celebrate the 39th Earth Day on April 22nd!

It was not until April 22, 1970, that protection of natural resources became a part of the national political agenda. On that day some 20 million people came out to celebrate the very first Earth Day. Earth Day was largely the brain child of Wisconsin Senator Gaylord Nelson who was determined to bring federal attention to the damage being done to the earth and its natural resources. In 1969, Nelson came up with the concept of Earth Day after being inspired by the anti-Vietnam War teach-ins taking place on college campuses throughout the United States. Dennis Hayes, a young activist who had served as student president at Stanford University, was chosen to be Earth Day’s national coordinator. He worked alongside numerous student volunteers and several staff members from Nelson’s Senate office.

On April 22, rallies were held in most American cities including Philadelphia, Los Angeles, and Chicago. As much as 80 percent of all observances took place in urban areas. Earth Day brought about much awareness. When polled in May 1971, 25 percent of the American public believed protecting the environment was an important goal. This was a 2500% increase over polls taken in 1969! Likewise, legislature became more centered on protecting the environment. During the 1970s, a number of important environmental legislation was passed including the Clean Air Act, the Water Quality Improvement Act, the Endangered Species Act, the Toxic Substances Control Act and the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act. Another key development was the establishment of the Environmental Protection Agency (December 1970).

Today the Earth Day Network, a non-profit organization responsible for organizing Earth Day activities, works with over 17,000 partners and organizations in 174 countries, making Earth Day “the largest secular civic event in the world.”

“Earth Day worked because of the spontaneous response at the grassroots level. We had neither the time nor resources to organize 20 million demonstrators and the thousands of schools and local communities that participated. That was the remarkable thing about Earth Day. It organized itself.”—Senator Nelson

Don’t forget to celebrate the 39th Earth Day on Wednesday, April 22!