What is the Official Theme of Earth Day?
WORLD EARTH DAY is a reminder to all people to protect our planet. This day is celebrated worldwide, and is a great opportunity to educate kids about the importance of conservation. It is also a great opportunity to donate money or volunteer at an environmental organization.
In the early 1970s, a large oil spill in Santa Barbara, California spurred the first Earth Day. The well spewed millions of gallons of oil into the ocean. It also killed hundreds of sea lions and tens of thousands of seabirds.
On April 22, 1970, 20 million Americans took to the streets to protest against air pollution and other environmental hazards. The event was a huge success, and it led to the creation of the United States Environmental Protection Agency.
The event also led to the creation of the Clean Air Act and the Clean Water Act. The Environmental Protection Agency is still active today.
Before 1970, air pollution was largely ignored. Thousands of colleges organized rallies against the deterioration of the environment. A few groups took it upon themselves to become environmentalists and fight for better policies.
The United States Senator Gaylord Nelson of Wisconsin was one of the leaders in this movement. His goal was to bring environmental issues to the forefront of the national agenda. He believed that the political establishment was too complacent and wanted to force it to become aware of the dangers.
He recruited young activist Denis Hayes to head up his Earth Day campaign. Hayes built a national staff of 85 and enlisted the help of a wide variety of organizations to make Earth Day a national event.
