Why Earth Day Is Important To Me

Earth Day 2024
Christina Fagerstal
Chair, New Canaan Democratic Town Committee

While not a National Holiday, Earth Day is observed every year in the month of April. April is the month when spring comes into full view as flowers and trees are blooming, and birds are migrating north and building their nests. Earth Day is a time to celebrate the beauty and diversity of the natural world and to deepen our appreciation and reverence for the bounty of our planet.

But Earth Day is not intended to serve as a quaint occurrence when we pick up our trash. Rather, Earth Day has enormous significance for American politics and history. In the late 1960’s interest in the health of planet Earth was at an all-time high. The publication of Rachel Carson’s book Silent Spring alerted Americans to the dangers of chemicals impacting the natural world. The 1968 Earthrise NASA photograph, taken by Apollo astronauts from the moon, had entered Americans’ consciousness.

A series of environmental disasters, including the 1969 Santa Barbara oil spill, which killed thousands of seabirds, dolphins, seals and sea lions, shocked most Americans, as did the Cuyahoga River catching fire. Concern for pollution of our water and air was growing. In this context Wisconsin Senator Gaylord Nelson conceived of a “national teach-in” to boost awareness of the environment. “I am convinced that the same concern the youth of this nation took in changing this nation’s priorities on the war in Vietnam and on civil rights can be shown for the problem of the environment,” said the Senator. He and his staff began to organize what was to become the largest peaceful demonstration in United States history. 

The Senator enlisted help from all parts of society, including the ad man who came up with the name “Earth Day” (which rhymes with birthday) and artists who sold art to raise money. Organized labor donated funds to support communications and organizing efforts. Students on the nation's university campuses were enlisted to learn about environmental threats and what might be done about them. The efforts by Senator Nelson, his staff, and supporters culminated in an estimated 20 million people, or ten percent of the United States population at the time, who attended inaugural events nationwide at tens of thousands of sites, including elementary and secondary schools, universities, and community centers.

An overarching concern for pollution of the air and water was intended to involve people from all walks of life. These peaceful demonstrations in support of taking greater care of our environment resulted in the passage of important environmental legislation in a bipartisan manner, including: the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, the Endangered Species Act, the Marine Mammal Protection Act, the Superfund and Toxic Substances Control Acts. 

During a time of American history when our country was divided over the war in Vietnam and conflicts between generations and political groups often boiled to the surface, Earth Day was, by contrast, a peaceful expression of ordinary Americans’ love for their planet, the only home that we humans know of. Earth Day is a reminder of our responsibility to care for our planet and to work towards a more sustainable and just future for all animals and human beings. 

Earth Day now includes a wide range of events coordinated globally by Earthday.org with over 1 billion people in 193 countries.