Blog Positive Energy

Send to friend

When you grow up in the North Woods of Wisconsin you probably get quite an appreciation for nature. Gaylord Anton Nelson, born in Polk County, Wisconsin in 1916, not only appreciated nature, he fought for it by devoting himself to bringing political and national attention to all environmental issues. A man who spent his career serving others as a Democratic Senator and Governor of Wisconsin, Nelson took action where he saw action was needed. He became a voice for an issue that had no voice and an advocate for the betterment of not only forests, mountains and rivers, but the poor and discriminated against as well.

This man was a true force of nature — his accomplishments are truly awesome! Nelson was nicknamed the “Conservation Governor” of Wisconsin for overhauling Wisonsin’s natural resource program, he streamlined the Department of Resource Development, created a Youth Conservation Corps which created green jobs for over 1,000 unemployed young people and undertook the battle to earmark $50 million for the Outdoor Recreation Action Program (ORAP) to acquire land for public parks and wilderness areas.

While in Washington, Nelson suggested the idea of a national tour to call public attention to conservation and the environment, which he embarked on with President Kennedy. He worked with President Johnson to advance Civil Rights legislation and waged the War on Poverty. To Nelson, the environmental issues were more than just land, water and air:

“Environment is all of America and its problems. It is rats in the ghetto. It is a hungry child in a land of affluence. It is housing not worthy of the name; neighborhoods not fit to inhabit.”

Nelson did not believe that economic prosperity and environmental protection had to conflict. He worked tirelessly to educate people and show what could be done. A man of solutions, he promoted Operation Mainstream, a program which devoted millions of dollars to the creation of conservation jobs and skills training for the poor and the elderly under the Green Thumb project.

Despite the fact that his colleagues in Congress continued not to take ecological concerns seriously Nelson refused to be stopped in his quest to raise awareness. In 1969, when he noticed the empowering effects of campus activism throughout the U.S., he came up with the idea for a day when people nationwide would host teach-ins to raise awareness of environmental problems. Finally his voice was heard: the idea was a huge hit with the media and citizens nationwide and his proposal was met immediately with overwhelming support. The national media widely broadcast the plans for this so-called “Earth Day” and Nelson’s office was flooded by enthusiastic letters.

Nelson established a small national office to offer support to the thousands of grassroots efforts, but he firmly rejected a top-down organization. Instead, “Earth Day planned itself,” he later reflected. An estimated 20 million Americans, young and old, gathered on April 22, 1970 to confront the ecological troubles in their cities, states, nation, and planet—and to demand action from themselves and from their elected officials. It's been celebrated with growing popularity each year since.

How many people live their lives unaware and uninvolved? Gaylord Nelson shows us through his determination and actions that we each can truly make a difference. If we use our voices to bring attention to causes we believe in, we can be instruments of change. When we celebrate Earth Day we should remember the dedicated man who cared about protecting the world and empowering it's inhabitants through education and support. A voice for change, Gaylord Nelson is a true inspiration.