Earth Day: A History

Earth Day was first started in 1970. The legislation was pushed through by a Wisconsin Senator named Gaylord Nelson. The idea came to him after an oil spill in Santa Barbra, California. ​

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"We're going to have to do a whole lot more, and give nature at least a chance to repair some of the damage we've done." - Gaylord Nelson

John Muir was a precursor to Gaylord Nelson's Earth Day. Muir, born in 1838, was a novelist, poet, geologist, environmentalist, and renown climber. He is also the founder of the Sierra Club. Conservationists like Theadore Roosevelt camped and learned from John Muir about the importance of protecting the most precious lands in the United States.

"Of all the paths you take in life, make sure a few of them are dirt" - John Muir

Here are just two of the many early influential individuals that knew the importance of protecting our lands and resources.  Make every day Earth Day!