Note:Earth Day Founder Gaylord Nelson passed away July 2005 at the age of 89. He believed strongly that education is the key to changing people's attitudes about the environment and he devoted much of his energy to that challenge. In the section below, which he prepared not long before his death, he answered some of the questions he was most often asked about the how he conceived the first Earth Day, why and what his hopes for the observance were.

By Senator Gaylord Nelson, Founder of Earth Day

What was the purpose of Earth Day? How did it start? These are the questions I am most frequently asked.

        "Actually, the idea for Earth Day evolved over a period of seven years starting in 1962. For several years, it had been troubling me that the state of our environment was simply a non-issue in the politics of the country. Finally, in November 1962, an idea occurred to me that was, I thought, a virtual cinch to put the environment into the political "limelight" once and for all. The idea was to persuade President Kennedy to give visibility to this issue by going on a national conservation tour. I flew to Washington to discuss the proposal with Attorney General Robert Kennedy, who liked the idea. So did the President. The President began his five-day, eleven-state conservation tour in September 1963. For many reasons the tour did not succeed in putting the issue onto the national political agenda. However, it was the germ of the idea that ultimately flowered into Earth Day.

         I continued to speak on environmental issues to a variety of audiences in some twenty-five states. All across the country, evidence of environmental degradation was appearing everywhere, and everyone noticed except the political establishment. The environmental issue simply was not to be found on the nation's political agenda. The people were concerned, but the politicians were not.

John F. Kennedy After President Kennedy's tour, I still hoped for some idea that would thrust the environment into the political mainstream. Six years would pass before the idea that became Earth Day occurred to me while on a conservation speaking tour out West in the summer of 1969. At the time, anti-Vietnam War demonstrations, called "teach-ins," had spread to college campuses all across the nation. Suddenly, the idea occurred to me - why not organize a huge grassroots protest over what was happening to our environment?

         I was satisfied that if we could tap into the environmental concerns of the general public and infuse the student anti-war energy into the environmental cause, we could generate a demonstration that would force this issue onto the political agenda. It was a big gamble, but worth a try.

Anti-war Demonstrators At a conference in Seattle in September 1969, I announced that in the spring of 1970 there would be a nationwide grassroots demonstration on behalf of the environment and invited everyone to participate. The wire services carried the story from coast to coast. The response was electric. It took off like gangbusters. Telegrams, letters, and telephone inquiries poured in from all across the country. The American people finally had a forum to express its concern about what was happening to the land, rivers, lakes, and air - and they did so with spectacular exuberance. For the next four months, two members of my Senate staff, Linda Billings and John Heritage, managed Earth Day affairs out of my Senate office.

        Five months before Earth Day, on Sunday, November 30, 1969, The New York Times carried a lengthy article by Gladwin Hill reporting on the astonishing proliferation of environmental events:

"Rising concern about the environmental crisis is sweeping the nation's campuses with an intensity that may be on its way to eclipsing student discontent over the war in Vietnam...a national day of observance of environmental problems...is being planned for next spring...when a nationwide environmental 'teach-in'...coordinated from the office of Senator Gaylord Nelson is planned...."

It was obvious that we were headed for a spectacular success on Earth Day. It was also obvious that grassroots activities had ballooned beyond the capacity of my U.S. Senate office staff to keep up with the telephone calls, paper work, inquiries, etc. In mid-January, three months before Earth Day, John Gardner, Founder of Common Cause, provided temporary space for a Washington, D.C. headquarters. I staffed the office with college students and selected Denis Hayes as coordinator of activities.

Earth Day worked because of the spontaneous response at the grassroots level. We had neither the time nor resources to organize 20 million demonstrators and the thousands of schools and local communities that participated. That was the remarkable thing about Earth Day. It organized itself."

Fast cleanup

Suzi Milovanovic

Put home cleanliness within your reach with a few simple changes to your habits and an attitude adjustment! Here are some cleaning tips anyone can make work.

If you are constantly digging through the laundry hamper for your outfit or your kid's school uniform, or if make up excuses not to have company because your house is less than presentable, a few simple changes in your routine and outlook will make your home more attractive and easier to clean -- and take the stress out of impromptu visits and home entertaining.
Put clutter in its place

Invest in a stylish box or chest to help organize the living room. With a few quick tosses and a close of the lid, toys and magazines won't be a focal point of your decor anymore. Use baskets as catch-alls for mail and those little screws you keep finding.
Daily chores

Chores aren't just for kids. Scrub the toilet, sweep the kitchen, vacuum the hall -- do just one job, but do something every day. Factor it right into your professional and personal tasks, and you'll find you accomplish more during the day.
When you use something, put it away

Do you hear your parents? They were right on the money. If you took it out, then you know where to return it. This may be the hardest habit to get into, but it makes the biggest difference in the appearance and functionality of any home.
Towels

Keep a small towel by the sink and give the faucet a quick wipe every time you wash your hands. It only takes a second to wipe down the sink and faucet, plus you'll have no spots or mineral buildup.

>> 10 Tips to organize your bathroom
Laundry pile

Give each family member two hampers, one for clean clothes and one for dirty. Fold clothes directly into the clean clothing basket and remind everyone to pick up their own clothing before bedtime. If you stay on top of it, the chore only takes a minute or two.
Lose the clutter magnets

Is that table in the foyer a magnet for junk mail and trash? Move the offending furniture or place a large planter on top to discourage paper dumping. It doesn't matter if it was expensive or if it looks perfect there when it's clean -- if it's always covered with junk, it's just not attractive.
A vacuum a day

Experts recommend vacuuming at least three times per week, and daily if you have pets. Carpet fibers are magnets for particulates that need to be vacuumed before they become airborne. Vacuuming keeps these odor-causing particulates at bay and keeps your home smelling good.
Say goodbye

Take a hard look at your decor, clothing and hobby equipment. If you don't need it or smile when you look at it, don't waste your time cleaning it. Dump it or donate it to reclaim the space for something you adore and will enjoy caring for.
Celebrate small victories

Pat yourself on the back once you have completed a chore -- you don't have to wait until the house is 100 percent spotless. Take a bath, read a book, go to the park or do something else you find relaxing. The rest of the house will still be there, but you will feel better about the cleaning adventures that lie ahead.

WALK WITH ME

Join us May 1st, 2010 for Phoenix's second annual Walk With Me! 

Enjoy a leisurely morning stroll through Steele Indian School Park, followed by games and entertainment for the whole family. Help us raise funds and awareness for services for children with disabilities.

Last year's Walk was a huge success with more than 1,000 registered walkers raising over $72,000, which provided asignificant boost to our ability to provide people with disabilities exceptional services that offer hope, help and independence.

Walk With Me 2010 will be held at Steele Indian School Park (Central Ave. and Indian School Rd. in Phoenix) on Saturday, May 1, from 8-11am. To register for the Walk, to form a team or learn more, please visit www.walkwithme.org.

For questions about Walk With Me please contact Julie Turko at 602-266-5976 x5110, or jturko@swhd.org.