For over 40 years, Earth Day has inspired and mobilized individuals and organizations worldwide to demonstrate their commitment to environmental protection and sustainability. Here is how the first earth day came about.
On April 22, the 40th anniversary of Earth Day will be celebrated from coast-to-coast; a day which was first realized by Wisconsin Senator Gaylord Nelson who wanted to find a way to increase environmental awareness and to promote urgently needed federal legislation to deal with an alarming ecological crisis.
It wasn't until visiting Santa Barbara Calif in August, 1969, and reading about the popularity of "teach-ins'' at college campuses as way of educating students about the Vietnam War that an idea caught hold in Nelson's head to hold a similar "teach-in'' only with a focus on environmental awareness.
Since the first Earth Day was held on April 22, 1970, when a chorus of demonstrators around the nation (some 20 million strong) voiced their concerns about the environment, specifically about the pollution of air and water, that a significant amount of federal legislation was passed to protect the environment.
It wasn't until visiting Santa Barbara Calif in August, 1969, and reading about the popularity of "teach-ins'' at college campuses as way of educating students about the Vietnam War that an idea caught hold in Nelson's head to hold a similar "teach-in'' only with a focus on environmental awareness.
Since the first Earth Day was held on April 22, 1970, when a chorus of demonstrators around the nation (some 20 million strong) voiced their concerns about the environment, specifically about the pollution of air and water, that a significant amount of federal legislation was passed to protect the environment.
Bill Clinton awarded Nelson the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nations highest civilian honor, in 1995.
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