EE.UU. : April 22, 2008

At a conference held in September 1969, US Senator Gaylord Nelson of Wisconsin announced that during the following spring there would be nationwide demonstrations in defense of the environment. Some seven months later, on April 22, 1970, the first Earth Day rallies were held having some 20 million Americans taking to the streets, parks and other public venues to call for a more healthy and sustainable environment.

In the beginning, Earth Day was generally marked with school children being organized to pick up litter in their communities. The US Government sponsored several public commercials wherein an emblematic owl would encourage all Americans to “give a hoot, don’t pollute”.

While many Americans embraced the ideals of Earth Day, it was not without its controversy. As April 22, 1970 marked the 100th anniversary of Vladimir Lenin’s birth, some suspected the day was rooted in Communism. It was theorized that J. Edgar Hoover’s FBI may also have suspected the day had communist and/or subversive origins leading the bureau to spy on many Earth Day rallies being held across the country.

The popularity of Earth Day in the United States led to having this day recognized on a global basis. In 1971, the United Nations passed a proclamation proclaiming April 22 each year as “Earth Day”. The United Nations also works with organizers around the world to coordinate various events.

The impact of the first Earth Day and those in subsequent years has been widely felt. Many point to Earth Day as the impetus in getting the US to pass the Clean Air Act, laws safeguarding natural lands and oceans, protection of drinking water, as well as the establishment of the country’s Environmental Protection Agency.

Today, Earth Day is observed in over 175 countries celebrated by an estimated 500 million people. Some have called it the single largest secular holiday in the world. As the world is trying to come to grips with climate change and its causes, it is important to remember that this one day still resonates nearly 40 years after its creation.