By Mike Garfield, Director of the Ecology Center
On the first Earth Day in 1970, 20 million people joined together in thousands of events around the U.S. in what was then the largest protest in world history. Of all the nation’s events, the “Teach-In on the Environment” in Ann Arbor drew the largest crowd, attracting 50,000 people in the community. The event marked the launch of the modern environmental movement, and led to the passage of the country’s foundational laws for clean air, clean water, and environmental protection. It also led to the creation of the Ecology Center.
Over the decades, Earth Day took on a gentler and less confrontational manner. Featuring tree plantings, river clean-ups, and kids’ activities, most Earth Day celebrations today are joyous and apolitical. Some even attract corporate sponsors. These gatherings broaden the audience for environmental action, and the Ecology Center sponsors and participates in a number of events taking place in southeast Michigan.
But it’s important to never forget the origin story of Earth Day. Especially now.
Today, the Trump Administration is threatening to overturn virtually all of the bedrock environmental laws and safeguards that were adopted in the 1970s. The Administration has begun the process of rolling back hundreds of legal protections, shuttered federal environment and public health divisions, and eliminated vital scientific research. They have been hard at work on that project since their first day back in office, when President Trump issued an Energy Emergency executive order that put the backsliding in motion.
We have been hard at work too. Our partners have been challenging unconstitutional orders in court. We’ve been fighting back in state legislatures, and joining together with other movements and ordinary citizens in mass protests all year long. Little by little, our protests are bearing results, even if the outcome is still uncertain.
The Ecology Center supports these efforts to push back, and we’ve doubled down on our work to support the communities most impacted by environmental injustice.
- We advocate with, and for, communities across Michigan whose water and land have been contaminated with PFAS.
- We work with, and for, families and communities who’ve suffered from lead poisoning, providing them with resources, and getting them involved in policy debates.
- We work with, and for, communities hard-hit by asthma and other health problems caused by high levels of air pollution.
- We work on behalf of families forced to choose between paying their heating bill and their grocery bill, and with the social service agencies that support them to fix energy policy.
- And, we fight for regulations surrounding new data centers, so impacted residents are guaranteed transparency and know they have a voice in the use of their local resources.
Best wishes to all on this year’s Earth Day. Whether you prefer to celebrate at a festival or a protest march, please don’t forget what we’re celebrating. It wasn’t easy to get rights and protections for people and the planet in the first place. And we need to keep on fighting to keep them.