Join in today's Earth Day activities as people from around the world pay special attention to the environmental challenges that face our society and planet.

History of Earth Day
Earth Day was first conceived by Senator Gaylord Nelson in the early 1960's. Senator Nelson, whose concern that environmental issues were not being addressed in the political arena, convinced President Kenedy to undertake a five-day, eleven-state conservation tour in 1963. Though the tour failed to bring conservation issues into the spotlight to the degree Senator Nelson had hoped, a movement had indeed begun.

Continuing his conservationist efforts, Senator Nelson organized a nationwide grassroots demonstration in the spring of 1970, to further promote conservation involvment and awareness. Support for and interest in the activity was immense and the 1970 demonstration became the first official Earth Day.

Recognition and thanks
Thanks for Senator Nelson's efforts in initiating Earth Day and the resulting grand-scale environmental movement came in 1995, in the form of a Presidential Medal of Freedom:

"The Presidential Medal of Freedom is the highest honor given to civilians in the United States. Twenty-five years ago this year, Americans came together for the very first Earth Day; they came together because of one American - Gaylord Nelson. As the father of Earth Day. He inspired us to remember that the stewardship of our natural resources is the stewardship of the American Dream. He is the worthy heir of the tradition of Theodore Roosevelt. And I hope that Gaylord Nelson's shining example will illuminate all the debates in this city for years to come." --President Bill Clinton, September 25, 1995 (from All about Earth Day).

To find out more about Earth Day, don't miss the Earth Day Q & A page that About's forestry guide, Steve Nix has put together! You may also find the following links to be of interest:

• Earth Day 2004 Q & A
• Earth Day Network
• Wilderness Society Earth Day page
• Earth Day Online
• Everyday is Earth Day