“The New York Times ad changed everything,” says Denis Hayes, coordinator of the first Earth Day. “The ad issued a call to all Americans about the state of our planet. Once it ran, millions of people joined this national effort.”
Like the first full-page ad, Sunday’s ad is a call to action to millions to unite to tackle environmental degradation and the climate crisis of today.
“For the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, we need everyone participating,” says Kathleen Rogers, Earth Day Network president. “The first Earth Day led to the creation of the EPA, Clean Air Amendments, Clean Water Act, and Endangered Species Act, and many of our nation’s most important environmental legislation, all passed with overwhelming bipartisan support. In 1970, Earth Day mobilised 20 million Americans. Today, Earth Day is global, and every nation on Earth is participating.”
Earth Day Network is a non-profit organisation with a mission to diversify, educate and activate the environmental movement worldwide. Growing out of the first Earth Day, Earth Day Network is the world’s largest recruiter to the environmental movement, working with 75,000 partners in nearly 192 countries.
