By Andy McAllister, Watershed Coordinator
In September 1969, U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson of Wisconsin, announced that in the spring of 1970 there would be a nationwide grassroots demonstration on the environment. Senator Nelson first proposed the nationwide environmental event to thrust the environment onto the national agenda and force issues of environmental protection into the legislative forefront.
The following is an excerpt of the response by Senator Nelson to Envirolink.org when asked about the history of Earth Day:
“Actually, the idea for Earth Day evolved over a period of seven years starting in 1962. For several years, it had been troubling me that the state of our environment was simply a non-issue in the politics of the country. Finally, in November 1962, an idea occurred to me that was, I thought, a virtual cinch to put the environment into the political “limelight” once and for all. The idea was to persuade President Kennedy to give visibility to this issue by going on a national conservation tour. I flew to Washington to discuss the proposal with Attorney General Robert Kennedy, who liked the idea. So did the President. The President began his five-day, eleven-state conservation tour in September 1963. For many reasons the tour did not succeed in putting the issue onto the national political agenda. However, it was the germ of the idea that ultimately flowered into Earth Day.
I continued to speak on environmental issues to a variety of audiences in some twenty-five states. All across the country, evidence of environmental degradation was appearing everywhere, and everyone noticed except the political establishment. The environmental issue simply was not to be found on the nation’s political agenda. The people were concerned, but the politicians were not.
After President Kennedy’s tour, I still hoped for some idea that would thrust the environment into the political mainstream. Six years would pass before the idea that became Earth Day occurred to me while on a conservation speaking tour out West in the summer of 1969. At the time, anti-Vietnam War demonstrations, called “teach-ins,” had spread to college campuses all across the nation. Suddenly, the idea occurred to me - why not organize a huge grassroots protest over what was happening to our environment?
I was satisfied that if we could tap into the environmental concerns of the general public and infuse the student anti-war energy into the environmental cause, we could generate a demonstration that would force this issue onto the political agenda. It was a big gamble, but worth a try.
At a conference in Seattle in September 1969, I announced that in the spring of 1970 there would be a nationwide grassroots demonstration on behalf of the environment and invited everyone to participate. The response was electric. Telegrams, letters, and telephone inquiries poured in from all across the country. The American people finally had a forum to express its concern about what was happening to the land, rivers, lakes, and air - and they did so with spectacular exuberance.”
That first Earth Day, April 22, 1970, coordinated by Harvard Law student Denis Hayes, was celebrated by more than 20 million individuals and is credited with spearheading the modern environmental movement.
Interestingly enough, around the time of the celebration of the first Earth Day, the following actions were taken by the U.S. government: the establishment of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); the creation of the President’s Council on Environmental Quality; and the passage of amendments to the Clean Air Act. The Clean Water Act was passed in 1972, just two years after the first Earth Day. Since then, Earth Day activities have increased throughout the nation and the environmental movement has continued to grow.
This Earth Day, WPCAMR celebrates the tremendous work of the environmental grassroots movement in Pennsylvania. Be sure to check your local newspaper or contact your local Watershed Association or Conservation District for information about environmental events in your area.
Listed below are just a few of the many events going on throughout Western Pennsylvania as we prepare to celebrate Earth Day:
Westmoreland County:
The fourth annual Westmoreland Earth Day, noon to 5 p.m. Saturday April 19, 2008 at St. Vincent College, near Latrobe. Dozens of environmental groups from the county and elsewhere will highlight efforts to clean up and care for the natural resources of our communities. For more information, go to the Westmoreland Earth Day Website.
Lawrence County:
Earth Day Celebration 2008 will take place on Saturday, April 19th from 10-2:00 p.m. in Ewing Park, Ellwood City, Lawrence County. Dennis Bowman, meteorologist for KDKA, will be the featured guest. The Celebration will feature live reptiles and birds as well as live music. Local “Environmental Heroes” will be recognized.
Bedford County:
The Six Mile Run Watershed Festival will be held at the Six Mile Run firehall in Defiance, PA off of State Road 1036 on Saturday, April 19, 2008 from 12:30 to 4:00pm. It will be followed by a picnic dinner and entertainment at 4:00.