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Tuesday, April 8, 2008

Earth Day/Equinox Earth Day

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Earth Day/Equinox Earth Day

April 22 is Earth Day. There are two different observances of Earth Day in a year. The "Equinox Earth Day" or "Equinoctial Earth Day" falls on March equinox (around 20 March) and "Earth Day" on April 22.

In astronomy, an equinox is that moment in time (not a whole day) when the centre of the Sun can be observed to be directly above the Earth's equator, occurring around March 20 and September 23 each year. On equinox, night and day are of the same length anywhere on Earth and a straight vertical pole standing on the equator at noon will not cast a shadow.

For those who are keen you can check out the following Wikipedia link:

1. History of the Equinox Earth Day

2. Equinox


Earth Day, How did it start?

Earth Day on April 22 was evolved and born out of a "environmental revolution".

US Wisconsin state Senator Gaylord Nelson from Dane County was the founder of Earth Day. In 1962, he was concern that environmental issues was simply a non-issue in the country's politics. He managed to persuade President Kennedy to go on a five-day, eleven-state conservation tour in September 1963. Despite the tour, environmental matters were still not place on the national political agenda.

Nevertheless, he continued to speak on environmental issues in some twenty five state. Obvious sign of environment damage were seen everywhere and everyone notice it except the political establishment. In his letter he wrote, "The people were concerned, but the politicians were not."

Six years later, in the summer of 1969, an idea occur to him while on a conservation speaking tour out West. During that time, anti-Vietnam War demonstrations called "teach-ins," had spread to college campuses all across the nation. He thought to himself, why not organize a hugh demonstration to protest over what was happening to our environment.

He took a big gamble and announced at a conference in Seattle in September 1969 that there would be a nationwide grassroots demonstration on behalf of the environment in the spring of 1970 and invited everyone to participate.

The first Earth Day on April 22, 1970 attracted an estimated 20 million people.

In the wake of the 1970 Earth Day, many important laws were passed by the Congress including the Clean Air Act, laws to protect drinking water, wild lands and the ocean, and the creation of the United States Environmental Protection Agency.

So, let us celebrate Earth Day on April 22 and do our part to save mother Earth. For those who need Earth Day tips, check out this website, http://www.dec.ny.gov/chemical/8804.html, that have 50 Earth Day Tips and activities/events you can organize.

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