Hello lemmy!

I want to tell you about Gaylord Nelson: senator from Wisconsin and founder of Earth Day!

I have been interested in Senator Nelson since high school, when I made a documentary about him and the history of Earth Day. In my research for that documentary, I learned that there is a lot of environmental legislation that I take for granted. Senator Nelson was instrumental in the passing of the Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act, both of which had major effects on the health of both the environment and the people and animals living in it. Laws like that give me hope that politics really can make a difference!

Another great thing about Earth Day was Senator Nelson planned it as a grassroots movement. Rather than enforce a top-down effort, he allowed each community to take the idea of Earth Day and celebrate it in their own way. This made Earth Day really effective, because everyone was able to make it their own! Communities used it to address their local problems and engage their local populations in bespoke ways.

Earth Day is still celebrated today, and has expanded from just the USA to over 190 countries! Gaylord Nelson’s legacy inspires me to be involved on a local level, and to not give up hope that people can make a real impact!

“So long as the human species inhabits the Earth, proper management of its resources will be the most fundamental issue we face. Our very survival will depend upon whether or not we are able to preserve, protect and defend our environment. We are not free to decide about whether or not our environment “matters.” It does matter, apart from any political exigencies. We disregard the needs of our ecosystem at our mortal peril. That was the great lesson of Earth Day. It must never be forgotten.” - Gaylord Nelson