IN the 1970’s, the United States of America was experiencing social upheavals due to the Vietnam War, the race debates and many other social issues. Pollution was also a hot topic especially when the Cuyahoga River in Ohio caught fire. Harnessing the growing social activism of the day, Sen. Gaylord Nelson of Wisconsin called on Americans to come out on April 22 and do something for the environment. Thus, Earth Day was born.
He recalls his motivation for proposing the first nationwide environmental protest: “The objective was to organize a national demonstration of concern for the environment so large that it would shake up the political establishment and force this issue onto the national agenda. It was a gamble, but it worked.”
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