Gaylord Nelson was an American politician born in 1916 in Wisconsin who is best known for founding Earth Day. He served as a U.S. Senator from 1963 to 1981, championing numerous environmental causes. In 1962, Nelson began developing the idea of an environmental teach-in, which materialized on April 22, 1970 as the first Earth Day. Earth Day engaged 20 million Americans and is credited with launching the modern environmental movement. Nelson continued advocating for the environment until his death in 2005 at age 89.

1. Founder of Earth Day

2. Born June 4 th , 1916, in Clear Lake, Wisconsin Was the third of four children to his father, who was a doctor and city mayor, and to his mother, who was involved in civic matters and community service Attended Clear Lake High School, playing both football and basketball Attended San Jose State College in California, graduating in 1939 Nelson at his college graduation, pictured with his mother, Mary

3. Dr. Nelson & Mary Nelson, Gaylord’s parents Clear Lake High School Band Gaylord Nelson playing trumpet Clear Lake School Classroom

4. Great-grandfather helped start the Republican Party in Wisconsin Became interested in politics after hearing Progressive Party leader, Robert M. LaFollette speak from the back of a train Graduated from the University of Wisconsin Law School and admitted to the Wisconsin bar in 1942 Served as a lieutenant in the United States Army during World War II and was a part of the Okinawa Campaign Robert LaFollette speaking

5. At age 14, organized campaign to plant trees along five of the roads in Clear Lake, but was not successful After the war, ran as a Progressive Republican for state Senate in 1946, but did not win Ran again for state Senate again in 1948, but this time as a Democrat and won Served on state Senate for 10 years until elected Governor in 1958 Nelson as State Senator

6. In 1961, won legislative approval for the Outdoor Resources Action Program, which put a one cent tax on cigarettes in order to preserve natural lands This 10-year program created one million acres of state parks and recreation areas throughout Wisconsin Also proposed a regulation on detergents to keep from further polluting the state’s rivers and streams Map of Wisconsin State Parks

7. Elected to the United States Senate as a Democrat in 1962 Appointed to the Senate Interior and Insular Affairs Committee, which allowed him to work on natural resources policy Also served on the Finance Committee, the Small Business Committee, the Monopoly Subcommittee on Small Business, the Subcommittee on Employment, and the Manpower and Poverty of the Labor and Public Welfare Committee Served the Senate for 18 years until 1980 when he was surprisingly defeated by Robert W. Kasten

8. In 1963, gave speech to the Senate in support of bill to ban detergents from water supplies In 1965, introduced first bill to ban the use of DDT In 1970, gave speech to the Senate on his ‘environmental agenda’ The effects of DDT

9. Amend Constitution to say “Every person has the inalienable right to a decent environment. The U.S. and every State shall guarantee this right.” Rid U.S. of massive pollution from heavily used products including the internal combustion engine, hard pesticides, detergent pollution, aircraft pollution, and nonreturnable containers Involve citizens in environmental policy through creating an environmental advocacy agency Regulate ocean drilling to reduce ocean pollution Create environmental education programs at all educational levels Develop mass transit systems Create a national land use policy to reduce unplanned urban sprawl, industrial expansion, and pollution Development of national minerals & resources policy for conservation & wise use Establish policy for air and water quality Set up a nonpartisan national environmental political action organization

10. Sponsored environmental legislation that became part of the Clean Air Act, the Federal Environmental Pesticide Control Act, the National Lake Preservation Act, the Surface Mining and Reclamation Act, the Water Quality Act, and the Wilderness Act Worked with Johnson administration to pass the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act in 1968 Sponsored legislation to preserve the 2,100 mile Appalachian Trial System, which led to the passing of the National Trial Systems Act in 1968, as well as legislation that established fuel efficiency standards in automobiles Worked to pass the Endangered Species Act Helped create national scenic seashores and lakeshores Initiated Earth Day in 1970

11. Idea developed over a 7 year period, beginning in 1962, when Nelson convinced President Kennedy to take a national conservation tour Disappointed that President Kennedy’s tour did not bring environmental issues to the national political agenda While speaking out West, the thought to have a similar protest to the anti-Vietnam War demonstrations called “teach-ins” came to Nelson In September of 1969, he announced there would be a national environmental protest in the spring of 1970 Appointed Denis Hayes to coordinate Earth Day activities from a headquarters in Washington, D.C.

12. Approximately 20 million Americans participated Congress recessed for members to attend & speak at local events 10,000 elementary & high schools; 2,000 colleges; & 1,000 communities participated Earth Day has been celebrated yearly since April 22 nd , 1970 Led President Nixon to establish the Environmental Protection Agency “ A nationwide demonstration of concern for the environment so large that is would shake the political establishment out of its lethargy and, finally, force this issue permanently onto the national political agenda.” -Gaylord Nelson

13. In 1981, Nelson became a counselor at the Wilderness Society, an organization that works to protect the environment out of Washington, D.C. Received the Environmental Leadership Award in 1982 and the “Only One Earth” Award in 1992, both from the United Nations Awarded the Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor, by President Bill Clinton in 1995 Continued to promote Earth Day Nelson receiving Medal of Freedom

14. Earth Day contributed to the development of the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, the Environmental Protection Act, and the Safe Drinking Water Act Nelson died of cardiovascular failure on July 3, 2005, at the age of 89 Cremated and buried on family plot in Clear Lake, WI Survived by wife of 57 years, Carrie Lee Nelson; two sons, Gaylord Jr. and Jeffery; and three grandchildren Remembered in Wisconsin by the Gaylord Nelson State Park in Madison and the Gaylord Nelson room at the town museum in Clear Lake

15. All About Earth Day. Retrieved from http://earthday.wilderness.org/history/. Gaylord Nelson. Retrieved from http://wilderness.org/content/gaylord-nelson. Nelson, Gaylord Anton. Retrieved from http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=N000033. Schneider, K. (2005). Gaylord A. Nelson, Founder of Earth Day, Is Dead at 89. The New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2005/07/04/politics/04nelson.html?_r=1&adxnnl=1&pagewanted =print&adxnnlx=1259046108-uS5mwzto7K+19lwzi7EuCQ. Webber, D. (1996). Senator Gaylord Nelson, Founder of Earth Day. Retrieved from http://web.missouri.edu/~webberd/Nelson.html.