US History - Earh Day

Earth Day Page 1

Holidays and traditions can date back centuries and vary from nation to nation . There is one

day , however , set aside annually to celebrate a common interest worldwide . This day is called

Earth Day

As a global celebration , Earth Day is held every year on the vernal equinox which occurs

around March 20th or March 21st . This day , known as the equinoctial earth day , marks the

beginning of the spring season in the northern hemisphere and the start of the autumn season in

the southern

hemisphere . It is an ideal time to raise awareness of the environment because during

an equinox , day and night are equal periods throughout the world

The concept of an Earth Day observance first originated at an environmental meeting in 1969

by John McConnell . The first proclamation was in San Francisco on March 21 , 1970 and thus

began a global tradition to honor and preserve the earth

Shortly after that , United States Senator Gaylord Nelson , of Wisconsin , made a visit to the

coast of Santa Barbara , California , following an oil spill . Senator Nelson was so appalled by the

devastation of the environmental accident . Also at that time , there was a fire on a river in

Cleveland brought forth from oil and chemical pollution . It was those incidents that led Senator

Nelson on a crusade to better protect the environment

Senator Nelson organized an Earth Day awareness for April 22 , 1970 and Congress passed a

bill declaring that date as Earth Day . Nelson wanted to teach and make others aware of the

environmental hazards that threatened our earth and the ways that people can protect and

appreciate the earth Earth Day Page 2

More than 20 million people participated in the Earth Day events across the country that year

There were lectures , demonstrations , school assemblies and community programs . This was the

beginning of the environmental movement

Although the primary intention of Earth Day was not political politics quickly began to play

a vital and powerful role in the environmental movement

Within months , President Richard Nixon established the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA . The purpose of the EPA was to enact laws to protect the earth from air pollution , water

pollution and to preserve the wild lands . The Clean Air Act went into effect that same year in an

effort to diminish air pollution

In 1971 , the EPA urged Congress to restrict the use of lead-based paints in homes

particularly paints used on baby furniture and toys

The following year , Congress passed the Clean Water Act and limited the raw sewerage and

other pollutants from flowing into streams and rivers . At that time only 34 percent of the

streams throughout the United States were safe for fishing and swimming Since the Clean Water

Act , that number has increased to 60 percent

The EPA also banned the use of the cancer causing pesticide DDT in 1972 . They also

thoroughly investigated other pesticides for harmful effects . DDT and other pesticides were

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