Earth Day is celebrated every year on April 22 as a day of environmental awareness and education. Since its establishment in 1970, Earth Day has become a global movement drawing attention to the issues plaguing our planet and encouraging solutions to these urgent circumstances.
Prior to the 1960s, the environment and the wellbeing of the planet had not been given too much thought, and environmental issues received very little mainstream attention. This era was marked by record consumption, production, and problematic waste disposal. Activism surrounding the protection of the planet’s precious resources was not widespread in America, nor was it included in the national political agenda. America produced substantial factory pollutants, Eisenhower’s recently established interstate highway system promoted car travel and thus increased use of gasoline, and recycling was not yet a common household practice. In response to these highly concerning conditions, a new wave of activism emerged in the 1960s, out of which Earth Day came to fruition.
In 1969, Senator Gaylord Nelson of Wisconsin became known as one of the most influential leaders of the modern environmental movement. Envisioning a new mentality in regard to public environmental awareness, Nelson encouraged students on college campuses nationwide to join his movement. With help from other political figures and student organizers, Earth Day was officially announced, and the concept immediately began to spread from coast to coast. On the first Earth Day on April 22, 1970, rallies and protests were held in most major American cities. According to the movement’s website,
“Earth Day inspired 20 million Americans — at the time, 10% of the total population of the United States — to take to the streets, parks and auditoriums to demonstrate against the impacts of 150 years of industrial development which had left a growing legacy of serious human health impacts.”
EarthDay.org
The implications immediately following this first event were profound. By the end of 1970, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) had been established by the United States federal government, and in the decade that followed, many significant environmental laws were passed, including, but not limited to, the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, the National Environmental Education Act, and the Endangered Species Act.
This year marks the 51st anniversary of Earth Day. Unfortunately, the state of the planet has only worsened in these past five decades, and the environment is in a state of emergency. The climate crisis (a term used to represent the urgency of the situation that other popular terms like “climate change” and “global warming” fail to communicate) is our world’s most dire issue, as it directly affects all other problems we face today. Global temperatures continue to rise and there is urgency in preventing this temperature from increasing beyond 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. As an institution, Earth Day exists to combat this crisis and to fight for awareness of the detrimental effects of a warming Earth. Due to the now global acknowledgment and celebration of Earth Day, the movement is recognized as the largest secular observance in the world. The Zero Waste and Sustainability Club at UC Davis will be running a month-long campaign inspired by the educational efforts of Earth Day, with the goal of spreading awareness on these environmental issues. Our theme, “No Time To Waste,” speaks to the urgency of the situation in addition to highlighting the message that waste can be replaced by sustainable practices and alternatives. We hope you will join us on this important journey.
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