Photo Credit: Bernard Gotfryd/Archive Photos - Earth Day 1970, First Earth Day
First Earth Day Celebrated – History of the April 22 Earth Day
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On April 22, 1970, Earth Day marked the beginning of the environmental movement. An estimated 20 million Americans wearing bell-bottoms and gas masks, gathered to voice their concerns about the deterioration of the environment. Common concerns were oil spills, air pollution, pesticides and the loss of wilderness. The message was clear, pollution induced climate change. Evidence of environmental degradation was appearing everywhere with dangerous smog, polluted rivers and acid rain.
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Participant in Earth Day, 1970. Photo: EPA History Office
People took their stand as environmental activists, sworn to protect the environment. The first April 22nd Earth Day was dramatic and filled with staged scenes depicting the damage of lead poisoning, smog-induced asthma, chemical food additives and cancer. Protest fighting against oil spills, polluting factories, raw sewage, toxic dumps, and chemical pesticides use.
“. . . on April 22, 1970, Earth Day was held, one of the most
remarkable happenings in the history of democracy. . . ”
-American Heritage Magazine, October 1993
Gaylord Nelson and Earth Day – Earth Day Founder Movement
Gaylord Nelson Founder of Earth Day
Until 1970, there was no specific date for all environmental activists to rally together and protest for the conservation of the environment. Earth Day was introduced by US Senator Gaylord Nelson of Wisconsin, as a day dedicated to the conservation of the environment.
Senator Nelson was himself an environmental activist. He wished to both educate the public about the importance of conserving the environment and to prove to Washington that many Americans cared deeply about the environment. In 1969, a horrendous oil spillage occurred off the coast of Santa Barbara. Senator Nelson visited the oil spill and was alarmed at the damage caused to marine life by the oil spill. He was further upset that there was no significant political movement in Washington regarding this oil spill. He proposed that a day should be set aside by all universities in the US, solely for the purpose of raising awareness among the students on the importance of protecting the environment. He stated further that this day should be observed across the nation by the public as a teach-in day on the environment. He first made these statements addressing a conservation group on 20th September, 1969, in Seattle.
“We need a comprehensive and nationwide program to save the national resources of America,” he said. “Our soil, our water and our air are becoming more polluted every day. Our most priceless natural resources – trees, lakes, rivers, wildlife habitats, scenic landscapes – are being destroyed.” Gaylord Nelson Quotes
At the time, anti-Vietnam War demonstrations, called “teach-ins,” had spread to college campuses all across the nation. The first Earth Day celebration in 1970 used the same type of “teach-ins,” to protest the damage that was happening to the environment.
In order to emphasis that this day was unbiased upon politics, Nelson invited Republican Paul N Pete McCloskey to work as co-chair in a non-profit organization named the environmental Teach-In Inc.; an organization developed to promote the Earth Day. Both of them gave numerous speeches urging the public to observe this day.
Denis Hayes First Earth Day – Earth Day Coordinator
Denis Hayes - Coordinator for the first Earth Day
Denis Hayes became involved with the first Earth Day movement after reading about it in the New York Times. Hayes, a graduate student from Harvard University, traveled to Washington to get involved with this “National Environment Teach-In”. Hayes was asked by Senator Nelson to pick out a staff to organize the day nationwide. Denis Hayes went on to become a widely recognized environmental advocate and founder of the Earth Day Network. Hayes coordinated the first Earth Day in April, 1970 and turned it into an annual environmental global festival.
On the first Earth day, around twenty million Americans took part in rallies, protests and environmental awareness programs. Thousands of universities held protests for the conservation of the environment. The Mayor of New York City, John Lindsay closed the Fifth Avenue for automobile traffic. The Mayor’s offices were used to organize the event in New York City. In Central Park, thousands of people attended an ecological fair.
CBS held a special news report pertaining to the proceedings of that day. It was narrated by Walter Cronkite. Correspondents from a large number of major cities in the US reported to this show.
The first Earth Day celebration was a success with 20 million Americans participating in peaceful demonstrations for the sake of environmental reform. The public embraced the idea of environmental reform and essentially, the first Earth Day organized itself.
Today, Green Earth Day is celebrated annually around the globe. The combined efforts of the government, grassroots organizations, and concerned citizens has evolved world-wide campaign to protect our global environment.
Earth Day Flag Picture – Earth Day Flag Planet
John McConnell with the Earth Flag he designed
The first Earth Day Flag was designed in 1970 by Earth Day founder and peace activist John McConnell. McConnell was Inspired by the astonishing first photographs of the Earth taken during America’s Apollo 10 space mission in 1969.
This Earth Flag is associated with anthropologist Margaret Mead. Dr. Mead named it “the flag for all people” and carried it with her wherever she appeared from 1969 until her death in 1977.
The Earth Flag represents unity and peace and is perhaps the most popular symbol during Earth Day Celebrations around the world.
The first official Earth Day flag was first founded by a peace activist in 1969. This famous “Ecology Flag” has become a symbol of Earth Day, a symbol of environmental awareness, and the celebration of the global community.
The Earth Day Flag has gone through various changes since 1970. The history of the Earth Day Flag, it’s significance and it’s modern day symbolism is so important to modern day environmental movements.
