Happy Earth Day!

It’s the 50th anniversary of Earth Day. My wife, Sara Goddard, reviews the fascinating history:

This background is important because it underscores the institutional underpinnings of that first Earth Day. The motivating force of the first celebration wasn’t a pack of young activists, but seasoned legislators. Even the day, April 22nd, was carefully orchestrated to fit within this institutional framework: Occurring during college spring break, Nelson selected that day to ensure maximum student participation.

This top-down organizational foundation worked in an era before the politicization of the environment set in. The first Earth Day was an enormous success not simply because of the impressive nationwide turnout. It was more than just a celebration: it was the catalyst for the formation of the EPA and the passage of the Clean Air, Clean Water, and Endangered Species Acts.

Now imagine Republican and Democratic lawmakers working today to organize and lead an environmental summit. It’s a fantasy. In our current highly charged world of reluctant politicians, well-funded lobbyists, and influential climate deniers, we must look to other instigators for substantive change.

Even though we’re physically separated, Sara has identified six ways we can come together in spirit to celebrate Earth Day at home this year.