Who founded Earth Day?
EARTH Day is an annual event celebrated on the 22nd of April.
Since 1970, attention to the environmental impact of consumerism has taken significant precedence among the world's citizens.
Who founded Earth Day?
Following World War II, concern for the environment steadily rose throughout the United States as more people became aware of the effects leaded gasoline and the automobile industry had on the planet.
However, it was not until 1996 that the world officially phased leaded gas out of circulation.
In 1962, Rachel Carson published the New York Times bestseller .
The book helped raise further public awareness for the environment and all living things.
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By 1969, Senator Gaylord Nelson of Wisconsin decided to take affirmative action to save the planet.
He asked Pete McCloskey to serve as his co-chair and began approaching college campuses with a teach-in on the environment.
Denis Hayes, an activist, joined the team to serve as the campus organizer.
The team picked April 22 to increase student participation, as the day typically falls between Spring Break and finals week.
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Denis built a staff of over 80 people across the nation to spread the message.
The team dubbed the event Earth Day, with protests breaking out nationwide against industrial development.
Due to the success of the first Earth Day, the United States Environmental Protection Agency was formed.
In 1990, Earth Day moved from just being an American celebration to a more global stage.
Each April, over 140 countries come together to continue bringing awareness to the struggling environment and how humans can save it.
Where is Denis Hayes today?
Born on August 29, 1944, Denis Hayes is now 77 years old.
The environmental advocate received his Bachelor's degree in History from Stanford University before graduating from Stanford Law School.
Denis served as the student body president at Stanford and was an activist against the Vietnam War.
"I do hope that what we have in 2070 is a world that is living within its limits," said Denis Hayes in a 2020 interview per the .
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"When we have things going well for the environment, Earth Days tend to be somewhat celebratory, and when you have things going wrong for the environment, then they tend to be protests against all of the things that are going wrong and that are harming people.
He continued: "I hope in 2070 we will be in a position to celebrate."
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