Earth Day started as an idea of a U.S. Senator from Wisconsin (yay WI) by the name of Gaylord Nelson. After seeing the devastation of the 1969 oil spill off the coast of Santa Barbara and student antiwar efforts he decided to have an environmental teach-in which became Earth Day, 1970. Over 20 million people took part and from there it became an annual event. How great is that: one man with a big idea, resulting in a tradition that is 42 years old today. I hope you’re celebrating.
I am convinced that all we need to do to bring an overwhelming insistence of the new generation that we stem the tide of environmental disaster is to present the facts clearly and dramatically. — Gaylord Nelson
