A day for the Earth

Former Wisconsin governor and senator Gaylord Nelson, who died Sunday at age 89, will be remembered as the father of Earth Day. The first Earth Day on April 22, 1970, attracted some 20 million Americans to public expressions of support for environmental protection, and launched such landmark legislation as the Environmental Protection Act and the Clean Water Act.
Nelson once said that “the wealth of the nation is air, water, soil, forest, scenic beauty, wildlife habitat — take that away and all that’s left is a wasteland.”
That’s still true. With Earth Day now a tame corporate event in many communities, including Wichita, it’s important to remember its wilder beginnings as one of the more remarkable and effective grassroots movements in our history.
Posted by Randy Scholfield

7 Comments

  1. Lefty
    Posted July 8, 2005 at 10:47 am | Permalink

    Yawwwwwwwwwnnnn

  2. J R
    Posted July 8, 2005 at 11:42 pm | Permalink

    Continuity is so important “lefty” Thank you for always being a jerk. Your Yawwwwwwn post is all too typical in these times. I know you don’t care about the environment at large and folks like Gaylord Nelson or myself who want to protect it. I can forgive you that a little. I know that your environment is either under your boss’s desk or maintaining an environment under your desk for those you exploit. In short you are either a CEO who wants hugs or you hug a CEO. Rest easy ‘lefty”, given the current sick administration, you may get a “greed” day soon.Thank you Randy for telling us about Gaylord Nelson. I have always loved Earth Day and I am curious to find out more about this very good man.

  3. Edna
    Posted July 9, 2005 at 3:34 am | Permalink

    Yawwwwwwn

  4. J R
    Posted July 9, 2005 at 10:55 pm | Permalink

    I see Edna is just as eloquent as “lefty”Whatsa matter kids? Elrushbo not on during the weekend to tell ya what to say?Earth Day should be every day.But to “lefty”and Edna and their “eloquence” or lack thereof…….Yawnnnnnnnnnnnn

  5. Ted R.
    Posted July 10, 2005 at 1:46 am | Permalink

    How about a bulldozer day, diesel fumes day, burn a forest day, level a mountain day, shoot a whale day, club a baby seal day, double cheese whopper with extra onions and mayo day, dam a river day, condor egg omelet day, club a Harvard president day, club a fetus for fun day, btk cloning day, teach a kid to smoke cigars day, solar system day, galaxy day, etc, etc, etc…..

  6. J R
    Posted July 10, 2005 at 11:12 pm | Permalink

    And Ted adds his name to the honor roll of morons.I really do not understand those who not only do not care about the environment, but seem to rub their hands with glee at its destruction.I’ll take a different tack. Maybe Earth day should be “our environment” day. Maybe that would bring it home a little better. After all, the Earth will go on very well without it’s current environment, biosphere, or for that matter human beings for quite likely another 5 billion years. Or As George Carlin said “The Earth would shake us off like a bad case of the fleas”.In my view, the environment of today is a rich diversity of plants and animals which are the results of billions of years of natural selection and adaptation to change. Others see our Earth and environment as the creation of a God. In either case, clearly we have some responsibility as the dominant and most influential life form on the planet to not only celebrate the diversity of life but to protect it. Whether we are the penultimate product of an evolutionary process, or the divinely inspired masters of this world, we have a legacy to protect.

  7. Ted R.
    Posted July 12, 2005 at 3:32 am | Permalink

    JR — dictionary lesson for today:

    penultimate: adj., 1. Next to last.

    I was using bitter irony, my friend. Are you saying we both need to lighten up a bit?