Happy Earth Day!
Each year, Earth Day, April 22, marks the anniversary of what many consider to be the birth of the modern environmental movement, in 1970.
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Each year, Earth Day, April 22, marks the anniversary of what many consider to be the birth of the modern environmental movement, in 1970.
At the time, Americans were slurping leaded gas through massive V8 sedans, industry belched out smoke and sludge with little fear of legal consequences or bad press and air pollution was commonly accepted as the smell of prosperity. “Environment” was a word that appeared more often in spelling bees than on the evening news.
Although mainstream America remained oblivious to environmental concerns, the stage had been set for change by the publication of Rachel Carson’s New York Times bestseller, Silent Spring, in 1962.
The book represented a watershed moment for the modern environmental movement, selling more than 500 000 copies in 24 countries and, until that moment, more than any other person, Carson raised public awareness and concern for living organisms, the environment and public health.
Earth Day 1970 capitalised on the emerging consciousness, channeling the energy of the anti-war protest movement and putting environmental concerns front and centre.
The Idea
The idea of Earth Day came to founder Gaylord Nelson, then a US Senator from Wisconsin, after witnessing the ravages of the 1969 massive oil spill in Santa Barbara, California.
Inspired by the student anti-war movement, he realised that if he could infuse that energy with an emerging public consciousness about air and water pollution, it would force environmental protection onto the national political agenda. Nelson announced the idea for a “national teach-in on the environment” to the national media; persuaded Pete McCloskey, a conservation-minded Republican Congressman, to serve as his co-chair and recruited Denis Hayes as national coordinator. Hayes built a national staff of 85 to promote events across the land.
As a result, on April 22, 20 million Americans took to the streets, parks, and auditoriums to demonstrate for a healthy, sustainable environment, in massive coast-to-coast rallies.
Thousands of colleges and universities organised protests against the deterioration of the environment.
Groups that had been fighting against oil spills, polluting factories and power plants, raw sewage, toxic dumps, pesticides, freeways, the loss of wilderness and the extinction of wildlife, suddenly realised they shared common values.
Earth Day 1970 achieved a rare political alignment, enlisting support from Republicans and Democrats, rich and poor, city slickers and farmers, tycoons and labour leaders.
The first Earth Day led to the creation of the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the passage of the Clean Air, Clean Water and Endangered Species Acts.
As 1990 approached, a group of environmental leaders asked Hayes to organise another big campaign. This time, Earth Day went global, mobilising 200 million people in 141 countries and lifting environmental issues onto the world stage.
Earth Day 1990 gave a huge boost to recycling efforts worldwide and helped pave the way for the 1992 United Nations Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro. It also prompted President Bill Clinton to award Nelson the Presidential Medal of Freedom (1995) – the highest honour given to civilians in the United States – for his role as Earth Day founder.
Earth Day Today
As the millennium approached, Hayes agreed to spearhead another campaign, this time focused on global warming and a push for clean energy.
With 5 000 environmental groups in a record 184 countries reaching out to hundreds of millions of people, Earth Day 2000 combined the big-picture feistiness of the first Earth Day, with the international grassroots activism of Earth Day 1990.
It used the Internet to organise activists, but also featured a talking drum chain that travelled from village to village in Gabon, while hundreds of thousands of people gathered on the National Mall, in Washington, DC.
Earth Day 2000 sent world leaders the loud and clear message that citizens around the world wanted quick and decisive action on clean energy.
Much like 1970, Earth Day 2010 came at a time of great challenge for the environmental community.
Climate change deniers, well-funded oil lobbyists, reticent politicians, a disinterested public and a divided environmental community all contributed to a strong narrative that overshadowed the cause of progress and change.
In spite of the challenge, for its 40th anniversary, Earth Day Network re-established Earth Day as a powerful focal point around which people could demonstrate their commitment.
Earth Day Network brought 225 000 people to the National Mall for a Climate Rally, amassed 40 million environmental service actions toward its 2012 goal of A Billion Acts of Green, launched an international, one million tree-planting initiative with Avatar director James Cameron, and tripled its online base to over 900 000 community members.
The fight for a clean environment continues in a climate of increasing urgency, as the ravages of climate change become more manifest every day.
We invite you to be a part of Earth Day and to help to write many more victories and successes into our history.
Discover energy you didn’t even know you had; feel it rumble through the grassroots under your feet and the technology at your fingertips.
Channel it into building a clean, healthy, diverse world for generations to come.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is Earth Day?
Earth Day is honoured around the world on April 22, although larger events such as festivals and rallies are often organised for the weekends before or after April 22. Many communities also observe Earth Week or Earth Month, organising a series of environmental activities throughout the month of April.
Why do we need an Earth Day?
Because it works. Earth Day broadens the base of support for environmental programmes, rekindles public commitment and builds community activism around the world, through a broad range of events and activities.
Earth Day is the largest civic event in the world, celebrated simultaneously around the globe by people of all backgrounds, faiths and nationalities. More than a billion people participate in campaigns every year.
What can I do for Earth Day?
The possibilities for getting involved are endless. Volunteer. Go to a festival. Install solar panels on your roof. Organise an event in your community. Change a habit. Help launch a community garden. Communicate your priorities to your elected representatives. Do something nice for the Earth, have fun, meet new people, and make a difference. But you needn’t wait for April 22 – Earth Day is Every Day. To build a better future, we all must commit to protect our environment year-round.
What is Earth Day Network?
Founded by the organisers of the first Earth Day in 1970, Earth Day Network (EDN) promotes year-round environmental citizenship and action, worldwide. Earth Day Network is a driving force, steering environmental awareness around the world. Through Earth Day Network, activists connect, interact and impact their communities, and create positive change in local, national, and global policies. EDN’s international network reaches over 22 000 organisations in 192 countries, while the domestic programme assists over 30 000 educators, coordinating thousands of community development and environmental protection activities throughout the year.
Information from: www.earthday.org