I am one of the original founders of Earth Day, 1970. I really am. With the 50th anniversary right around the corner, I decided to dig out some of my old files and memorabilia, and to share my own part in this important piece of what was then just American history.
While studying for my MES from Bank Street College of Education, I and several other teachers became actively involved with a project called the Open Classroom and we were offered an opportunity to teach in a public elementary school in Brooklyn. My thesis was on children in their urban the environment, so my curriculum was about bringing the students an appreciation of nature and an understanding of the importance of caring for our environment. We did all kinds of fun projects like planting and growing lima beans, and caring for and hatching fertilized eggs. We actually had chickens in our classroom! Our Open Classroom projects gained the attention of the media and we appeared on TV news.
Our news appearance was then noticed by a young Harvard student named Dennis Hayes. Dennis had been recruited from Harvard by Senator Gaylord Nelson to serve as national coordinator of a “national teach-in on the environment” and was looking for people to join his team. He invited us to be a part of this project and so it began.
I remember when Dennis Hayes came to NYC to meet with us. The atmosphere was festive and full of energy to promote activism and outreach to a broad spectrum of people, anyone interested in this radical idea of caring for the earth and its resources. We knew we were part of something big.
I vividly recall those early days; the creativity, ingenuity and cooperation across so many types of organizations that built this thing called Earth Day. We also worked with elected officials who were fueled by this energy to promote “Earth Day, Every Day”. Among the elected officials were dedicated and resourceful leaders in all manner of roles.
My role within this evolving movement was to design educational materials on our urban environment for teachers & children. Another former teacher joined the team, and we started some wonderful programs, including the creation of “Eco News” a children’s newsletter. We had a talented artist who illustrated these editions with whimsical hand drawn cartoons.
On the big day, we blocked off Fifth Avenue and 14th street in the shape of a cross, and filled the streets with displays of all kinds of earth-related activities by private citizens, politicians, city agencies, schools, houses of worship, actors, singers, dancers and, of course, a wide range of media; press, radio, and TV. It was a huge success, which has grown into a global movement. There is still much to be done, but I’m so proud that I had a role in the changes we have made and the way we take care of and honor our earth.
After the event was over, we needed to keep the momentum moving forward. We traveled to Washington D.C. and alongside Bella Abzug and Ed Koch, we lobbied for further funding for what became the Environmental Action Coalition located at 235 E. 49th Street, and we continued the mission.
Some of the people involved in the early days:
Peter A. A. Berle, NY State Assembly representative and later Commissioner of NYS Department of Environmental Conservation; Fred Hart, Deputy Commissioner of Air Resources; Jerome Kretchmer, Commissioner of Environmental Protection; Bob Rickles, Commissioner of Air Resources, and others. We were joined by District Council 37, Con Ed, First National City Bank, New York Telephone, AT&T, and New York City Schools both public and private.
Those who were our Directors and Managers included Alexander “Pete” Grannis, who became an outstanding NYS Assembly member and much later in 2007, Commissioner of NYS Department of Environmental Conservation. Also, Fred I. Kent, founder and president of Public Spaces, and our brilliant Executive Director who went on to become a very successful financial investment advisor.
