Friday, April 22, 2011

Earth Day , Birthday..it Rhymes

     Today, April 22 marks Earth Day 2011 with the theme: "Earth Day Everyday!". The call is to remind Filipinos to do green acts on a daily basis. One way we can help Mother Earth:  "ENGAGE YOURSELF TO ENVIRONMENTAL CAUSES AND ACTIVITIES." Yesterday, as part of the earthday countdown, the call is to "RIDE MASS TRANSIT SYSTEMS." 
     War raged in Vietnam when the  birth of the modern environmental movement in 1970 marks April 22. The idea came to Earth Day founder Gaylord Nelson, then a U.S. Senator from Wisconsin, after witnessing the ravages of the 1969 massive oil spill in Santa Barbara, California. Senator Nelson announced the idea for a “national teach-in on the environment” to the national media. Earth Day Network has its 2012 goal of A Billion Acts of Green®, launched an international, 1-million tree planting initiative. So far it brought 225,000 people to the National Mall for a Climate Rally, amassed 40 million environmental service actions toward its goal. 
     According to Senator Nelson, "Earth Day" was suggested by a number of people in 1969, including, his friend who had been in the field of public relations and a New York advertising executive, Julian Koenig. The idea came to him by the coincidence of his birthday with the day selected, April 22. "Earth Day" rhyming with "birthday," and it seemed natural. Other names circulated during preparations but Nelson continued to call it the National Environment Teach-In, but press coverage of the event was "practically unanimous" in its use of "Earth Day," so the name stuck. So, as Julian Koenig suggested, I'm glad I would say it too, it's Earth day and it's my birthday...(",)

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