Earth Day is celebrated worldwide on April 22, although for Santa Barbara, Earth Day means much more.
For those who have lived here long enough, 1969 was the year everyone became intimately aware of human’s effect on the environment. On January 28, a well drilled by Union Oil Platform A off the coast blew out. More than three million gallons of oil spewed, killing over 10,000 seabirds, dolphins, seals, and sea lions.
Local activists banned together to create environmental regulation, education, and in effect, Earth Day. That’s right, in case you didn’t know, Earth Day was founded in Santa Barbara. We have Selma Rubin, Marc McGinnes, Bud Bottoms, and many more to thank for this.
On the first anniversary of the oil spill, January 28, 1970, Environmental Rights Day was celebrated locally. A Declaration of Environmental Rights was written by Rod Nash during a boat trip across the Santa Barbara Channel while carrying a copy of Thomas Jefferson’s Declaration of Independence. Many activists and local politicians spoke during the event that drew a giant and passionate crowd ready to enact change.
Environmental Rights Day organizers had been working closely with then-Congressman Pete McCloskey to consult on the creation of the National Environmental Policy Act, the first of many new environmental protection laws sparked by the oil spill. Wisconsin Senator Gaylor Nelson also founded Earth Day during an environmental teach-in first held on April 22, 1970. Local activists also went on to develop the first undergraduate Environmental Studies program of its kind at the University of California at Santa Barbara.
Today, Santa Barbara holds to its traditions and continues an annual Earth Day Festival. The Community Environmental Council (CEC) pioneers real-life solutions in areas with the most impact on climate change. CEC’s annual Santa Barbara Earth Day Festival prides itself on making it one of the cleanest, greenest, and most sustainably-minded events around, improving every year.
The Community Environmental Council will present the Santa Barbara Earth Day Festival at Alameda Park on Saturday, April 25, 11 a.m. – 8 p.m. and Sunday, April 26, 11 a.m. – 7 p.m. Learn more at SBEarthDay.org.
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President Richard Nixon created the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on December 2, 1970, to consolidate federal pollution control programs under one agency in response to mounting public concern over environmental degradation. Look how far the Republican party has fallen. Shills for big oil, selling out our natural resources, raping the environment, protecting child rapists and trampling on the constitution.
As recently as 2008, Newt Gingrich and Nancy Pelosi appeared in a TV ad sitting on a couch together, agreeing that the country must take action to address global warming.
Since then Gingrich–a horribly wretched person who is responsible for much of the wretchedness of today’s GOP–has said he regrets it and that no such action is needed.
Republicons have all sold out to oligarchs and corporations. Environmental science affects their bottom line. Gingrich is another example of a pathetic toadstool.