On April 22, 1970, some 20 million people across America celebrated the first Earth Day. Today Earth Day is celebrated annually around the world. Through the combined efforts of the U.S. government, grassroots organizations, and everyday citizens, what started as a day of national environmental recognition has evolved into a world-wide campaign to protect our global environment.
Earth Day is actually a name used for two different observances. Both are intended to inspire awareness of and appreciation for the Earth's environment. The United Nations celebrates Earth Day, as founded by John McConnell in 1969, each year on the March equinox. A global observance originated by Gaylord Nelson as an environmental teach-in, and since January 1970 also called Earth Day, is celebrated in many countries including the U.S. each year on April 22.
I remember that first Earth Day and the joke that is was being celebrated by a bunch of smelly Hippies who could do the environment a whole lot more good if they'd just take a damn bath. But I also remember the brown haze that used to hang over LA, Chicago, Denver and most other cities on a regular basis. I remember the day in 1969 when the Cuyahoga River caught fire briefly and the Life Magazine pictures of fish kills on the oily and littered shores of our Great Lakes. I remember the stories about birth defects and childhood mortality caused by pesticides and toxic chemicals in neighborhood playgrounds and water supplies.
A whole new lexicon of words has entered our vocabulary as a result of Earth Day as we have become more aware of our role as stewards of our environment. The Environmental Protection Agency was formed and we became familiar with events like Love Canal, Three Mile Island and Exxon Valdez. We knew what a Superfund Cleanup Site was and why it was necessary to have a Clean Air Act and a Clean Water Act. Some things that used to be a way of life have gone away - things like DDT, lead in our paint, PCBE's, lead in our gas, radon gas and Chlorofluorocarbons while other things have replaced them - like fuel economy standards and 'brushing' our emissions.
Perhaps most eloquently, our national symbol The Bald Eagle was removed from the endangered species list in 1996 reflecting it's recovery following the 1972 ban on DDT. You can debate the pro's and con's of Earth Day and I'll save my rant on Global Warming and Global Cooling for another day, but you can't argue with the fact that what may have started as just a bunch of smelly Hippies has evolved into a worldwide event and has made us all more aware of our special place on this planet.
For more information on how you can celebrate Earth Day, visit the following sites:
Gene Wunderlich - Selling Southwest California Homes including Temecula, Murrieta & The Southern California Wine Country
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