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Volume 19, No. 7 April 1990 <br />T he year 1970 was a pivotal year <br />in many respects. The turn of <br />the decace was a turning <br />point lor the Vietnam War. it ushered <br />in the 18-year old vote, the first <br />women were named generals and <br />environmental issues came to the <br />forefront. <br />Earth Day began on April 22, <br />1970. The day marked the largest <br />organized demonstration in history. <br />More tiian 20 million people par ­ <br />ticipated in Earth Day activities <br />across the nation. Adults and <br />children participated in marches, <br />rallies and workshops. Even Con­ <br />gress adjourned so its members <br />could take part in the event. In <br />Washington DC, 100,000 people at ­ <br />tended an ecofair held at Union <br />Station. <br />Earth Day made a difference. <br />According to a Nixon White House <br />poll conducted by the Opinion <br />Research Corporation, only 1 per ­ <br />cent of the public in 1969 believed <br />that protecting the environment was <br />a primary national issue. One year <br />after the first Earth Day, concern lor <br />the environment had become a <br />factor of major importance for 25 <br />percent of the population. Earth Day <br />can be credited for the establishment <br />of the Environmental Protection <br />Agency, the passing of the Clean Air <br />and the Clean Water acts, and <br />halting the development of the <br />Supersonic Transport (SST). <br />Two decades have now passed. <br />And. once again, environmental <br />issues are topics demanding atten ­ <br />tion. According to a recent national <br />survey conducted by Newsweek, the <br />two factors rated "indispensable'' to <br />a good quality of life were happy <br />family life and a clean environment. <br />However, today's environmental <br />issues are larger in scope—today we <br />are faced with holes in the ozone <br />layer, acid rain, global climatic <br />changes, agricultural runoff and toxic <br />chemicals in our groundwater, and <br />deforestation of tropical rain forests. <br />-arth Day 1990 <br />Our concern stretches from fear of <br />the neighboring landfill leachate <br />leaking into our water supply to <br />reservations about the garbage <br />barges and super tankers that pollute <br />the oceans. Our "environmental <br />backyard" has grown to encompass <br />international pollution problems. <br />This year more than 130 nations <br />are participating in the 20th anniver ­ <br />sary of Earth Day. It is only fitting, <br />then, that Earth Day 1990 take on the <br />theme "Think Globally ... Act <br />Locally." That theme has been <br />adopted by the Environmental Pro­ <br />tection Agency and the EPA urges <br />not only governments but also cor­ <br />porations to make a commitment to <br />'ifestyle change to prevent pollution. <br />According to "The Conference Board <br />Research Bulletin" (Number 243): <br />"The EPA is also using Earth Day <br />1990 to launch its new Pollution <br />Prevention Office, an effort aimed at <br />pinpointing ways to prevent pollution <br />before it occurs—e.g., the more ef ­ <br />fective screening of new materials <br />and technologies to assess their like ­ <br />ly impact on the environment." <br />Continued on page 2 <br />EARTH DAY PLEDGE <br />/ pledge ellegiance to our Earth <br />(the planet on which we live). <br />M to fresh air. pure water, heaithy <br />dirt, life-giving piants and all the <br />animals! <br />One Earth-four oceans —seven <br />continents-thousands of lakes and <br />rivers! <br />And. I accept my duty to be an <br />honorable citizen of the Earth, with <br />respect and consciousness toward <br />' .rt o,' i^jnc j Hjjir <br />-l' U <br />--t’Jrt' .5 PaCrC tsCroC'S <br />mm <br />iiatiii