Have you questioned the reason that Earth Day is celebrated each year on April 22? On this day in 1970 the modern environmental movement was born. This was the first time that a voice was given to the emerging public consciousness on the state of our planet and its future if current behaviors detrimental to its health continue unabated. Instead of listening to me describe some of what occurred on the first Earth Day though, I thought I would include some historical video snippets of interviews that were done throughout the country by the likes of Walter Cronkite and Dan Rather. It is a bit frustrating that the same conversations that occurred then are ongoing today with little apparent improvement, including the fact that our country's poorest are the ones who will be most affected. Also remember that the appeal for a cleaner planet in 1970 occurred in the absence of plastic bottles; so withstanding the strong appeals for a cleaner Earth over the last 54 years, plastics have become a consumer staple and a top source of pollution in our country and globally. This makes me a bit nervous about the future, but I still remain an environmental optimist as long as we continue to get the word out.
Please enjoy some of the videos below in celebration of Earth Day. In watching some of these, one thing that stands out is how much more blunt the news anchors were in their comments compared to today. I especially like the attempts to interview the kids from Michigan in the third video; if nothing else, the girl's response should be a wake up call for all of us. May you have a very Green Earth Day 2024!
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