HAPPY EARTH DAY!

Apr22

Today is the 39th year of environmentalism and activism for Earth Day. Here are some quick facts on the green holiday.

Senator Gaylord Nelson, a Democrat from Wisconsin, is responsible for the first official Earth Day in 1970.
The idea, though, was first proposed by a businessman in the plastic industry, John McConnell. He became a lifelong activist.
Twenty million people participated in the first Earth Day, and their gatherings embodied the zeitgeist of the 70s. Theatrical protest was used then (check out this photo of a student in a gas mask sniffing a magnolia) and now (Greenpeace's polar bear costumes) to get the message across.

Since 1970, the amount of greenhouse gases emitted in America has increased 75 percent. We also have more than twice as many cars on the road (but those cars have gotten more efficient).
Earth Day isn't just an American designation. It's celebrated by 175 countries worldwide.
The first Earth Day kicked off a decade filled with environmental action. Later that year, the EPA was founded. Many important pieces of environmental legislation were passed that year, among them: Clean Air Act, the Water Quality Improvement Act, the Endangered Species Act, the Toxic Substances Control Act and the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act.
Earth Day is a day of service, and a great opportunity to get involved in community clean-up projects. Are you looking for an Earth Day event? Check out the Earth Day Network's directory here.

The Green Life