Posted by: Communications Team | April 11, 2021
In 2020 Earth Day celebrated 50 years of promoting and extending environmental protection of our planet. We thought this year would be a great time to talk about the history of Earth Day and the events in Houston.
The History
Gaylord Nelson is known as the Father of Earth Day. Serving as the governor of Wisconsin for two terms and in the U.S. Senate for 18 years, Senator Nelson envisioned a national “teach-in” on the environment.
On April 22, 1970, Americans marched and demonstrated for a healthy, sustainable environment in huge rallies across the U.S. An estimated 20 million people from 10,000 elementary and high schools, 2,000 colleges, and over 1,000 communities participated that day.
Even more incredible is the success of the first Earth Day in a world without emails, cell phones, the internet, or fax machinesSenator Nelson’s idea had worked. The first Earth Day gave environmental issues national and political attention. It influenced the creation of the US Environmental Protection Agency and numerous laws that protect our environment including:
- the Clean Air Act
- the Water Quality Improvement Act
- the Water Pollution and Control Act Amendments
- the Resource Recovery Act
- the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act
- the Toxic Substances Control Act
- the Occupational Safety and Health Act
- the Federal Environmental Pesticide Control Act
- the Endangered Species Act
- the Safe Drinking Water Act
- the Federal Land Policy and Management Act
- the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act
The Global Effect
Earth Day 1990 went global, mobilizing over 200 million people in 141 countries. This put environmental issues on the world stage, paving the way for the 1992 United Nations Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro. Ten years later, Earth Day 2000 focused on climate change and clean energy. Approximately 5,000 environmental groups and 184 countries participated, reaching hundreds of millions of people.
Celebrating Earth Day in 2021
In Houston this year, Earth Day activities will be celebrated on Sunday, April 18, 2021. Both Discovery Green and the Houston Arboretum and Nature Center have events scheduled.
Houston Arboretum and Nature Center. Saturday, April 17, 2021 from 10:00 – 4:00, free. Explore informative booths, nature hikes, fun displays in the Discovery Room, and Earth-friendly take-home activities. For more information, click here.
Earth Day Houston at Discovery Green. Sunday, April 18, 2021 from 12:00 – 5:00. The event is outdoors, free, and open to the public. Exhibitors will be spaced out to allow for social distancing and masks are required. The event features exhibitions, a panel discussion and live mural painting. Online viewing options of the panel discussion will be provided. Click here for more information.
Dean and Draper
We hope you will join us in celebrating Earth Day. We are here for you when you have questions about your insurance and are only a phone call away.
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The recommendation(s), advice and contents of this material are provided for informational purposes only and do not purport to address every possible legal obligation, hazard, code violation, loss potential or exception to good practice. Dean & Draper Insurance Agency specifically disclaims any warranty or representation that acceptance of any recommendations or advice contained herein will make any premises, property or operation safe or in compliance with any law or regulation. Under no circumstances should this material or your acceptance of any recommendations or advice contained herein be construed as establishing the existence or availability of any insurance coverage with Dean & Draper Insurance Agency. By providing this information to you, Dean & Draper Insurance Agency does not assume (and specifically disclaims) any duty, undertaking or responsibility to you. The decision to accept or implement any recommendation(s) or advice contained in this material must be made by you.
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Sources: Adirondack Council, Houston Arboretum, Earth Day Houston
The recommendation(s), advice and contents of this material are provided for informational purposes only and do not purport to address every possible legal obligation, hazard, code violation, loss potential or exception to good practice. Dean & Draper Insurance Agency specifically disclaims any warranty or representation that acceptance of any recommendations or advice contained herein will make any premises, property or operation safe or in compliance with any law or regulation. Under no circumstances should this material or your acceptance of any recommendations or advice contained herein be construed as establishing the existence or availability of any insurance coverage with Dean & Draper Insurance Agency. By providing this information to you, Dean & Draper Insurance Agency does not assume (and specifically disclaims) any duty, undertaking or responsibility to you. The decision to accept or implement any recommendation(s) or advice contained in this material must be made by you.