(John's Article about the Earth Day Magna Charta.)
THE WORLD'S BIGGEST LIE
In the last 50 years the lie that has done the most damage to people
and planet is the statement, "EARTH DAY IS ON APRIL 22."
Calling April 22 Earth Day is like calling July 4th Easter. Independence Day
is an important day. But even though Easter is a better sounding word, it
would be a crime to call it Easter.
While people who observe April 22 as Earth Day do things to help the
environment, calling it "Earth Day" causes confusion that does far more damage
than the good they do.
The original Earth Day was on March 21, 1970. Initiated in San Francisco by
John McConnell, its centerpiece was the March Equinox -- the moment Spring
begins in the Northern Hemisphere. The date was chosen because of its unique
appeal to people of every creed and culture -- one day a year for all the
people of planet Earth. City Hall approved the Earth Day proposal in October,
1969. Here was a powerful natural event that could bring people together in
heart and mind at a special moment and increase determination to pursue
"peace, justice and the care of Earth."
The March Earth Day was supported by United Nations Secretary General U Thant
in 1971 and has been featured each year since then in an Earth Day Ceremony at
the Peace Bell. It has played an important role in initiatives for peace and
the care of Earth. The ringing of the Peace Bell signals the moment Spring
begins. This is followed by two minutes of silent prayer or reflection -- a
time for people to unite worldwide in heartfelt dedication to think and act as
trustees of Earth.
The Earth Day Peace Bell Ceremonies at the United Nations (March 20-21) have
brought together leaders of east and west in a common commitment to "think and
act as trustees of Earth." The March Equinox Earth Day has promoted
conciliation and has been credited with helping end the cold war and spreading
support for environmental action.
This happened in spite of repeated efforts by April 22 organizers to replace
the original Earth Day with their arbitrary date. Their first "Earth Day" was
also in 1970 -- one month after the first Earth Day. They neglect to mention
that the name "Earth Day" was never used by them until after the March 21
announcement at the UNESCO National Conference on the Environment in San
Francisco in November, 1969. Before that, it was called, "Environmental
Teach-In." The April 22 team attending the conference asked John McConnell to
change his Earth Day on March 21 to April 22 and they would call their event
"Earth Day". John said that nature's event, the March Equinox, was too
important for this global holiday. The next thing we knew, the April 22
organizers had a full page ad in the New York Times saying "Earth Day April
22"
The April 22 organizers had political and business connections -- and massive
funding. The public's eager endorsement of the ideals suggested by a day
called "Earth Day" attracted the vested interests of politicians and big
business -- who saw it as a way to capitalize on public empathy with the idea
and Earth Day name . Their backing and the numerous advertisements and
editorials in newspapers, including the New York Times, repeatedly ignored the
authentic Earth Day and promoted the April 22 impostor. The New York Times
then acted as if Earth Day were April 22 -- even though their biggest front
page story and photo of Earth Day celebration was on March 21, 1971!
On March 20 (1998) leaders, some from countries in conflict, came together at
the United Nations with a profound commitment to the Earth Trustee agenda --
"actions to eliminate pollution, poverty and violence." There was no mention
of this in the New York Times or the major TV networks. They could have
provided advance stories of plans and preparation -- and a first time
celebration of Earth Day in Space. This would have resulted in live coverage
and millions of people joining with heart and mind when the United Nations
Peace Bell was rung -- and fostered a change world-wide from Earth Kill to
Earth Care. The harm done by the confusion caused by the April 22 Earth Day
far exceeds the good it has done.
However, in 1999 the March Earth Day was featured in the Moscow press and
celebrated on the Mir Space Station. (Costa Rica, Austria and Iran reported
joining in the observance.) The authentic Earth Day in years past led to new
attitudes that helped end communism in Russia.
It should be noted that Arbor Day was started by J. Sterling Morton in 1872.
On his death in 1907 his birth day, April 22, became Arbor Day -- a date still
recognized as Arbor Day in many countries. Celebrating April 22 as Arbor Day
would diminish confusion and complement the March Earth Day.
There would be no problem if April 22 promoters would call their date
"Environment Day." or any name other than Earth Day.
"The people of Earth have the raw materials and technology for all to enjoy a
life of quality. Individuals and institutions can now be trustees of Earth,
seeking in ecology, economics and ethics, policies and decisions that will
benefit people and planet. In the present state of the world, this Space Age
trustee concept has a chance of tapping the best in human hopes and
aspirations and providing a healthy, innovative and fulfilling future for our
planet and its people. In this new future deeds will demonstrate what is best
in creeds."
Get the facts straight and make Earth Day the Great Day of Earth!
Earth Day -
www.earthsite.org
*********************************************************************************
WHAT AND WHEN IS EARTH DAY?
Yale University Newsletter -- April 2002
"Earth Day" is a name widely recognized. But few know the amazing story of
the first Earth Day - its purpose and potentials.
Understanding Earth Day and its original purpose can result in the rapid
elimination of poverty, pollution and violence. It could bring a change in
the global state of mind and rapidly replace misunderstanding and conflict
with peaceful progress and a great common cause - the rejuvenation of Planet
Earth.
To understand the true Earth Day we must first expose the deception that has
thus far prevented fulfillment of the Earth Day dream and agenda for a better
world.
The so-called April 22 Earth Day was an impostor - organized as a fund raising
tool for protesting against pollution and promoting a political agenda. The
initial name for this event was "Environmental Teach-In." When March 21 was
proclaimed "Earth Day" by the City of San Francisco they "borrowed" the name
Earth Day for their later event.
In succeeding years they tried in every way to supplant the real Earth Day.
They made repeated efforts at the United Nations to replace the March Earth
Day with the April 22 event. In 1971 United Nations Sec. Gen. U Thant told
them that nature's March Earth Day was a much better idea and the Earth Day on
March 20 or 21 (depending on the day that Spring begins) was the only Earth
Day celebrated at the United Nations in succeeding years.
The real Earth Day played a role at the United Nations in ending the Cold War
and promoting environmental action. (See Earth Day: Past, Present, Future -
www.earthsite.org)
This happened in spite of the confusion caused by two
events having the same name.
The idea of John McConnell, founder of the real Earth Day, was to have one
great global day for Planet Earth each year. Earth Day was to be on the March
day when the equinox occurred -- day of nature's equipoise when night
and day are equal and Spring begins in the Northern Hemisphere.
From this Earth Day sprang the Earth Trustee idea - that we would all help
take care of Earth. Every individual and institution would seek in their own
way to eliminate pollution, poverty and violence and foster peace, justice and
the care of Earth. This would awaken the wonder of life and bring a peaceful,
prosperous future.
Unfortunately, the benefit of the real Earth Day was prevented by the
confusion resulting from the April 22 Earth Day deception - one of the great
tragedies of our time. This has prevented the real Earth Day from getting the
attention and support needed for Earth's rejuvenation.
While many individuals, schools and other groups have used the April 22 Earth
Day to promote environmental action, far more can be accomplished by using
another name for April 22 (which was the "Environmental Teach-In"). Then the
power and purpose of the real Earth Day will achieve its purpose of "peace,
justice and the care of Earth."
Let's get attention for the truth about Earth Day and make the next occasion
of nature's special event - Earth Day, March 20 - the great day it deserves to
be. The real Earth Day in the new millennium can foster an Earth
Trustee future of great promise for the human family and the wonderful skin of
life that covers our globe.
Earth Day web site:
www.earthsite.org
Due to the ASEH link on the Environmental History Timeline page, we
received a phone call from John McConnell, the 90-year-old founder of Earth
Day, who had come across the Environmental History Timeline website and found
an incorrect statement on the calendar about when Earth Day is celebrated --
https://php.radford.edu/~wkovarik/env.calendar.php
He referred to his website --
http://www.earthsite.org -- for correct information about Earth Day (see a
section of links midway down the page) and asked if a correction could be
made. Mr. McConnell told me by phone that his e-mail address is TrusteeOne@aol.com,
but his website lists TrusteeOne@msn.com. I am copying this e-mail to both
addresses just in case. His mailing address is available at his website, as
well.
Thank you for corresponding directly with Mr. McConnell about this
discrepancy. What a lot of work has gone into the timeline! Thank you for
your efforts!
Pamela Cobb, Office Manager
Historical Research Associates, Inc. (HRA)
119 Pine Street, Suite 301, Seattle WA 98101-1592
206.343.0226, fax 206.343.0249 mailto:pcobb@hrassoc.com
http://www.hrassoc.com/