A brief history of Earth Day

On April 22, 1970, demonstrators carrying 20 pounds of dead fish and a long-expired octopus paraded in front of a power company in Coral Gables, Florida. The plant, they charged, was releasing water heated to nearly 100 degrees into Biscayne Bay, causing heavy fish kills. That same day, students in Omaha wore gas masks on a seemingly clear day, while students in San Jose buried a car. In Centralia, Washington, a goat wandered about a lawn wearing a sign reading, “I eat garbage, what do you do for your community?” Why all these strange occurrences? April Fools Day had come and gone weeks before. The answer is simple, April 22 was the first Earth Day.

Earth Day was the brainchild of Wisconsin Senator Gaylord Nelson who came up with the idea in the wake of the 1969 Santa Barbara oil spill. If so many students across the country could mobilize against the Vietnam War, he thought, why couldn’t they organize a national teach-in about the environment. He then hired a Harvard student named Denis Hayes to act as national coordinator, and history was in the making.

More than 20 million people took part in the first Earth Day, making it the largest organized demonstration in history. Some people organized neighborhood clean-ups and planted trees. Others demonstrated against polluters, bringing the issues of air, water and noise pollution into the public eye. In New York City, the mayor closed Fifth Avenue to automobiles and over 100,000 people attended an ecology fair in Union Square. In response to the concerns voiced on Earth Day, the Environmental Protection Agency was established and the Clean Air and Clean Water Acts were passed into law.

As the years passed, it became clear that despite growing awareness, environmental problems were only getting worse. Global issues such as overpopulation, ozone depletion and deforestation began to threatened life as we know it. So twenty years after the first Earth Day, Denis Hayes called on people from around the world to organize an international Earth Day 1990.

Two hundred million people in more than 140 countries used the twentieth anniversary of Earth Day to demonstrate their concerns for the planet. Perhaps the most appropriate activity took place in Phoenix where people organized a “What Can I Do After Earth Day” conference to focus on long-term steps towards living in harmony with the Earth. Earth Day 1990 also launched Bay Area Action.

Through a number of projects (see page 3) BAA carries on the spirit of Earth Day locally, helping people turn concern for the environment into positive action. The term “power to the people” became more than just a saying to us when we helped organize the 100th Monkey Project to Stop Nuclear Testing for Earth Day 1992.

The 100th Monkey Project brought thousands of people to Nevada to demand an end to nuclear weapons testing. By October of that year, the United States was observing a nuclear testing moratorium, and we haven’t tested since. It just goes to show that by working together and refusing to give up, we really can make a difference.

“Let the historians record that on Earth Day the people heard the cry of the Earth and came to heal her.”
–Denis Hayes

You can make a difference

Reduce, reuse, recycle

• Recycle cans, glass, newspaper, white paper, colored paper, cardboard, and plastics.
• Set up a recycling program at your school or workplace.
• Use recycled paper.
• Encourage your newspaper to use recycled newsprint.
• Buy quality products that are made to last.
• Avoid disposable products whenever possible.
• Use the back sides of paper for notes and scratch work.
• Use hand towels instead of paper towels.
• Reuse your grocery bags or use a canvas shopping bag.
• Mend and repair products rather than buying new ones.
• Reuse old lumber.
• Avoid packaging that is not easily recyclable.
• Use cloth diapers rather than disposables.
• Compost your yard waste.
• Buy used goods.
• Share magazines and newspapers with friends.

Avoid hazardous products

• Use biodegradable non-toxic soaps and detergents.
• Use only the amount of a product that is necessary.
• Dispose of household hazardous wastes at a proper facility.
• Use rechargeable batteries.
• Return your old car battery when purchasing a new one.
• Recycle used motor oil at a local service station.
• Buy unbleached paper products.
• Wear clothes that don’t have to be dry cleaned.
• Urge DuPont to stop producing chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) that destroy the ozone layer. DuPont, 1-800-441-7515.
• If you own a car with air conditioning, make sure the CFCs are recycled when serviced.

Conserve energy

• Ask your local utility for an energy audit.
• Insulate, caulk, and weatherstrip your home.
• Install a thermostat with a timer to avoid unnecessary operation.
• Insulate your water heater and storage tank.
• Keep your water heater set at 120 degrees.
• Install double-paned windows.
• Insulate floors with carpeting.
• Wear a sweater rather than turning up the thermostat.
• When shopping for appliances, check energy-efficiency ratings and choose the most efficient.
• Replace incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs.
• Purchase appliances that operate on natural gas.
• Turn off lights and appliances when not in use.
• Close doors and turn off heat or air conditioning in unused rooms.
• Use fireplace doors to prevent heat loss.
• Install a solar water heater.
• Plant trees to shade your home in the summer.
• Dry your clothes in the sun.

Water conservation

• Install a low-flow shower head.
• Install a space-occupier in your toilet.
• When replacing your toilet, consider a low-flush model.
• Fix leaky pipes and toilets immediately.
• Turn off the water between rinses when shaving and brushing teeth.
• Use a broom rather than a hose to wash walkways.
• Don’t leave the hose running when washing your car.
• Water plants and lawns in the early morning to minimize evaporation.
• Install a drip-irrigation watering system.
• Plant native plants and trees that are acclimated to your region.

Transportation

• Use public transportation, carpool, bike, or walk.
• Drive a fuel efficient car (40 mpg or better).
• Keep your car well tuned.
• Live close to your place of work to reduce your commute.
• Call ahead before shopping and consolidate errands.
• Enjoy local activities rather than traveling for entertainment.
• Install smog-control equipment on your car.
• Avoid drive-through lines.

Food choices

• Eat less meat.
• Buy organic foods.
• Start your own garden.
• Support food co-ops and farmers’ markets.
• Buy locally produced foods.
• Be creative with leftover food to minimize waste.
• Consider alternatives to fast food restaurants.
• Avoid foods with additives and preservatives.
• Avoid highly processed foods.

Activism

• Educate yourself and others about environmental issues.
• Plant trees in your community.
• Don’t buy products made from tropical hard woods.
• Purchase from environmentally-responsible businesses.
• Support family planning programs to help stabilize our population.
• Write letters to your representatives urging them to support environmental action.
• Get involved in local politics to influence environmental policies.
• Support conversion from military to environmental purposes.
• Join Bay Area Action, (415) 321-1994.
• Take time to learn about and enjoy your local ecosystem.
  

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Originally published in Action, Earth Day Special, April 1994.