Earth Day

April 22nd

April 21, 2009

April 22nd is Earth Day, a time to celebrate the gains we have made and to create new visions to accelerate environmental progress. Happy Earth Day from Creative Associates International, Inc.!

The idea to create Earth Day came from Senator Gaylord Nelson (D-Wis.) in the summer of 1969, in an attempt to raise America’s awareness about environmental issues. That September, the Senator announced that a nationwide grassroots demonstration would occur on behalf of the environment on April 22, 1970. Senator Gaylord invited any and all concerned citizens to participate. And, they did. Two thousand colleges and universities, 10,000 high schools and grade schools and several thousand communities participated in the event. Approximately 20 million people joined the demonstration. American Heritage magazine described the event years later as “one of the most remarkable happenings in the history of democracy.”

“Understanding that sustainability is the ultimate issue will bring America face to face with the political challenge of forging a sustainable society. It is a challenge America can meet if we have the leadership and political will to do so.”

-Senator Gaylord Nelson

The public’s overwhelming response to Earth Day made it clear that the executive branch could not respond to the public’s demand for environmental action without creating an organization responsible for doing so. In late1970, President Richard Nixon created the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), with a mission to protect the environment and public health. In the years following the first Earth Day, a number of new legislation was signed into law, including:

• 1970: Congress amends the Clean Air Act to set national air quality, auto emission and anti-pollution standards.
• 1972: Congress passes the Clean Water Act, limiting sewage and pollutants from entering the nation’s rivers, lakes and streams.
• 1974: Congress passes the Safe Drinking Water Act, allowing the EPA to regulate the quality of public drinking water.
• 1976: President Gerald Ford signs the Toxic Substances Control Act to reduce environmental and human health risks.

Since 1970, Earth Day has been celebrated annually on April 22nd. Today, over 1 billion people participate in Earth Day activities, making it the largest secular civic event in the world. This year’s Earth Day will see the launch of the Green Generation Campaign, a two-year project that will end on the 40th anniversary of Earth Day in 2010. The special focus areas of the Green Generation Campaign include:

– A carbon-free future based on renewable energy that will end our common dependency on fossil fuels, including coal.

– An individual’s commitment to responsible, sustainable consumption.

– Creation of a new green economy that lifts people out of poverty by creating millions of quality green jobs and transforms the global education system into a green one.

For more information on how we can contribute to Mother Earth, click here