E
Earth Day 1990
Definition A worldwide environmental
demonstration commemorating the twentieth
anniversary of the first Earth Day
Date April 22, 1990
Earth Day 1990 successfully raised the consciousness of
millions of people around the world, but for all its benefits, it
did not inspire the public to make lifestyle changes toward
sustainability on a mass scale.
The first Earth Day in 1970 was the brainchild of Wis-
consin senator Gaylord Nelson, who lamented the
lack of interest in environmental issues by America’s
political representatives. In September, 1969, Nel-
son proposed the use of teach-ins as a vehicle for
building environmental awareness in the American
public. He asked Stanford University graduate Denis
Hayes to head up the organization of an Earth Day,
with the focus on teach-ins in public places such as
college campuses and labor halls. From this grass-A crowd gathers at a beach in Santa Monica, California, to celebrate Earth Day 1990 and to listen to speeches by political figures and
celebrities.(AP/Wide World Photos)