1970: Mother Earth finally gets its due with the celebration of the first Earth. Historians regard this as the public introduction of the modern environmental movement.
Wealth and self-expression has plundered shamelessly their resources humanity for centuries, the unslakable thirst for power. While it makes sense, has a part which is donations benefit the Earth for the survival and progress of the species, the increasing ability (not to mention need and greed) make sure that more and more extract levied a heavy load.
The know that the Earth's resources are not infinite available to try the impetus for conservationists, sensitize the general public.
Day the Earth, which was founded by Senator Gaylord Nelson (D-Wisconsin), not only heralded the beginning of the environmental movement was but one of its permanent symbols. His celebration each year in April, offers the opportunity to reflect on the successes and failures of the movement.
Nelson, who led a campaign in the age of 14 years, around trees along the roads in his native clear lake, Wisconsin, plants emerged as a major voice for the conservation, when he entered the Senate in 1962. He found a sympathetic ear in President John F. Kennedy and the seeds for day the Earth and the ecological movement in General - can be rightly said, while JFK's have planted administration.
Nelson took inspiration for Earth Day in the University teach-in the popular during the Viet Nam war. If students could be organized to help to end the unpopular war, use then why not similar tactics to a zinc coating environmental movement?
In fact, people were everywhere on the importance of protecting their planet wake up. The months before the first Earth Day saw plenty of grassroots efforts the goal at the specific causes or ecological awareness in General.
Under the direction of Earth Day National Coordinator of Denis Hayes, thousands of volunteers - mostly college-age or younger - organized rallies and events from the "redwood forest to the Gulf stream waters." When earth day came, took part 20 million Americans.
In a speech at the University of Wisconsin, Nelson summed up the purpose of Earth Day in this way: "Our objective is an environment of decency, quality and mutual respect for each other human creature and for all living Creatures…." "The struggle for a correct relationship between man and his environment, between the people and other living things restore will require before a long, sustained, political, moral, ethical and financial commitment, beyond every effort."
The Senator practiced what he preached. Virtually every major piece of environmental legislation of the period has Nelson's fingerprints all over it: of the preservation of the Appalachian Trail of clean air Act to the clean water Act.
After his defeat for re-election in the same 1980 election that swept Ronald Reagan and the neo-conservatives in power nationwide, Nelson joined the Wilderness Society, where he served as a consultant. He died in 2005.
During Nelson's message never wavered: protection of the environment is the most pressing issue the single humanity.
Many people believe it today. Many others, not unfortunately still.
Source: various
Image: The official national poster for the first day of the Earth warned in 1970, pollution and congestion, and left the scheduling events to local groups all over the country.
This article 22 first appeared on Wired.com April, 2009.
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