Earth Day in the United States

Earth Day in Environmental Law

A day in late April dedicated to environmental awareness. The first Earth Day, on 22 April 1970, is often cited as the catalyst for legislative action to remedy environmental problems.

Wisconsin Senator Gaylord Nelson gave a speech in late 1969 advocating a “teaching” for environmental issues. The public’s enthusiastic reaction surprised him, and soon he had to hire a staff to field calls about his idea. Although President Richard M. Nixon was not pleased with the concept, political pressure convinced him to allow participation by various federal departments, including the Department of Interior. Eventually a day was set for the “celebration.”

The first Earth Day was called a communist plot by some the Daughters of the American Revolution, for example and criticized by radical groups as an attempt to cloud other issues. Nevertheless, it was a huge success, with over 1,500 colleges and 10,000 schools participating. The message to Congress was clear: the environment is important to the American people.

Earth Day is still celebrated yearly. International as well as American environmental groups take part, offering information, workshops, and exhibits
Based on “Environment and the Law. A Dictionary”.