How silly of me... sometimes I can get caught up in all the smaller details that I passed right over the marker of the modern American environmental movement... EARTH DAY!
Earth day was conceived on April 22, 1970 by Senator Gaylord Nelson as a tool to re-channel Americans' anti war energy into something more positive. His attention to the environment came to a head with the 1969 oil spill in Santa Barbara, California. He thought that if he could take the energy young Americans were putting forth against the war towards environmental consciousness that it would create a national "teach-in" that educated other Americans about the importance of water, air, and land quality.
The first Earth Day saw several demonstrations by these young people about how to create and live a healthy and sustainable life. Earth Day created a new and rare political occurrence where people from all walks of life joined together for single cause, rich, poor, city dweller, and rural farmers could all find an issue to get behind. This inaugural Earth Day led to the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the passage of the Clean Air, Clean Water, and Endangered Species acts.
Since then every year Earth Day rallies people across the globe to education, take action, and inspire other to get involved in the green movement. Earth Day is celebrated in 192 countries, and in Canada is celebrated on September 11th. Each year the event brings more humans to action whether in their schools or community. The holiday is still thought of as a "teach-in" and the original ideal of Senator Nelson are stronger than ever.
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