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Did he found Earth Day? 
Creator and founder of Earth Day, John McConnell was born Davis City, Iowa on March 22, 1951. It was his interest in peace, science and religion that led him to become a peace activist. In his capacity as a peace activist he undertook a number of projects to alleviate human suffering and address the critical problems that face humanity today.
In 1939 John McConnell along with Albert Nobell co-founded the Nobell Research Foundation in Los Angeles, which helped develop a thermosetting plastic as well as designed the first plastic plant on the West Coast for its manufacture. It was then that his concern for the environment grew as he came to realize the pollution caused as a result of the manufacture of plastic.
It was during the 1969 UNESCO Conference in San Francisco that Mr. McConnell proposed the idea of Earth Day. The purpose was to spread awareness about the earth’s environment and foster the sense to preserve and protect the threatened ecological balances upon which the survival of humanity depends.
In the Earth Day Proclamation which spoke about the rights and responsibilities of people toward the protection of the planet. He also designed the Earth Flag which is now part of the Earth Day ceremony conducted at the UN. It was his love and sense of care towards the planet that led him to conduct these programs and he is in the truest sense of the term an “Environmental Revolutionary”
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| Earth Day is a day celebrated each year worldwide in order to spread awareness and appreciation of the Earth’s Natural Environment. The concept of Earth Day originated at the UNESCO conference in San Francisco in 1969. The pioneer of the concept is said to be Mr. John McConnell, a peace activist, among other things (See box alongside). However, some others, including a US senator, Gaylord Nelson, and a convicted murderer, Ira Einhorn, are also sometimes credited with founding the celebration. Earth Day was first observed in San Francisco and other cities on March 21, 1970, the first day of spring in the northern hemisphere. Today, Earth Day is coordinated globally by the Earth Day Network (EDN), founded by Denis Hayes, and is held on the popular April 22 date each year. EarthSite.org still maintains the March date for International Earth Day, for example 20 March in 2012, but with Earth Day Network success and reach (it now works with over 22,000 partners in 192 countries to broaden, diversify and mobilize the environmental movement) few know about this alternative date for International Earth Day which as EarthSite proclaims is “the original Earth Day, on the March equinox, Earth's global holiday, Drawing together peoples of all nations, cultures, and religions, To advance Peace, Justice, and Earth Care.” The EarthFlag is associated with this parallel movement, which without UN backing is small in comparison to EDN, EarthSite.org being the official homepage. Regardless of this confusion over dates, more than 1 billion people now participate in Earth Day activities each year, making it the largest civic observance in the world. Over the last forty years, EDN has successful executed environmental campaigns on a host of issues ranging from climate change and drinking water to voters registration and saving the whale. EDN works to reform and energise the population so they will act to secure a healthy future for themselves and their children.  © 2012 EarthSmiles.net . All rights reserved. Made from 100% recycled pixels. In the celebration of Mother Earth do we have Earth Day, or Earth Days?
Earth Day
By Charlene Hendricks
|  | | It's our Earth: Let's fight over it? | People traditionally celebrate Earth Day with the ringing of bells, often bells of peace. The tradition of bell ringing is practiced all over the world on Earth Day. In India, one Earth Day was celebrated by approximately 1200 kids. They held a rally during which they carried signs with slogans and messages about preserving all nature. The children also performed skits about the environment. The Indian Habitat Center held painting and quiz competitions. At other event, kids presented a, “Children’s Clean Air Manifesto” to the president’s wife. They then held a Children’s Bicycle Rally to promote non-polluting forms of transportation. A fight for a clean environment continues in a climate of increasing urgency, as the ravages of climate change become more manifest every day. Join in to celebrate Earth Day and help write many more victories for our planet. EDN logo Every April 22, Earth Day provides a tremendous opportunity to engage all levels of civil society in the environmental movement. The 41st anniversary of Earth Day in 2011 was observed in cities around India, including New Delhi, Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai through commemorative Mother Earth concerts, community service, and tree-planting projects.
Earth Day 2012 in India aims to activate over a million people to participate in local, regional and country-wide projects.
For more information, contact:
Karuna Singh - Country Director
Phone: +91-9831356476
E-mail: singh@earthday.net EARTH DAY - INDIA (From the Official Earth Day India Website) |
