Understand Earth Day – the Key to a
Future For Our Planet.
EARTH DAY:
PAST, PRESENT, FUTURE
By Lee Lawrence
In collaboration with
John McConnell
July 3, 1999
“EARTH DAY
celebrates the deep-seated and persistent desire of
populations around the globe for peace and harmony, which
have been disrupted over the years by misguided leaders
but never by the people
themselves."
George Gallup, Jr. -- June 30, 1999.
The coming of the New Millennium may
impel us to examine what remains to be done to improve the
quality of life for individuals all over the world. The
past need not be prologue. At the closing of the last millennium,
999 A. D., Europe had become poor and backward. There was no
maintenance of cities and roads had fallen into ruin. By
our standards, life for most Europeans was unimaginably mean,
dirty and unhealthy. The impact on Europe of the Fall of
the Roman Empire, five centuries earlier, proved to almost wipe
out civilization.
Great achievements have come to pass in the
1900’s. The advances in science and technology have
revealed to us that the Earth needs special attention.
Nobel Laureate Harold Urey, stated,
"We in the older generation have begun to realize the
immense changes on the Earth in our lifetime. Due to
trains and airlines, we can travel quickly to all parts of the
Earth. Due to atomic bombs people all over the earth are in
danger. Due to the success of information and medicine we
face the possibility of an overpopulated Earth. All of
these things are of great concern to all of us. It is time
we began to think in terms of a unified Earth. One of the
best ways, it seems to me, is to celebrate EARTH DAY, on March
20, 1977 as well as in all the years to come. In this way
the people of the Earth can dedicate themselves to understanding
these facts, and to intelligently act on them."
(From Nobel Laureate Statements supporting Earth Day –
United Nations, 1977.)
EARTH DAY – to be a
universal holiday -- to celebrate the natural wonders of our
planet was first proposed by John McConnell in early October 1969
to Peter Tamaras, who headed the San Francisco Board of
Supervisors. Tamaras requested John McConnell to write an
EARTH DAY PROCLAMATION. John McConnell wrote a Proclamation
and presented it to the Mayor of San Francisco, Joseph L. Alioto. On March 1, 1970, Mayor Alioto issued
that Proclamation as the Earth
Day Proclamation for San Francisco.
In 1970 the celebration in California
included the raising of the Earth Flag in Golden Gate Park.
The Park provided seedlings, which were delivered by the Red
Cross to schools in the San Francisco area. The Sierra
Club, Jr. Chamber of Commerce, colleges, and grade schools
participated with special programs and celebration.
Fortuitously, in November 1969, John
McConnell had the opportunity to present the concept of EARTH DAY
at UNESCO’S NATIONAL CONFERENCE: MAN AND HIS
ENVIRONMENT. It was well received. At a later date
UNESCO became a major sponsor of the annual EARTHDAY CELEBRATIONS
at the United Nations.
The date and the place for the celebration
of the first EARTH DAY is notable because the Vernal Equinox
occurs on March 21st. This is the time every year when the
Sun crosses the equator – resulting in a 12 hour day and a
12 hour night (equal length) in all the earth. The place,
San Francisco, so named for St. Francis, the patron saint of
ecology, is also the birthplace of the United Nations.
Margaret Mead said, "EARTH DAY uses
one of humanity’s great discoveries, the discovery of
anniversaries by which, throughout time, human beings have kept
their sorrows and their joys, their victories, their revelations
and their obligations alive, for re-celebration and re-dedication
another year, another decade, another century another eon.
EARTH DAY reminds the people of the world of the need for
continuing care which is vital to Earth’s safety.
…EARTH DAY draws on astronomical phenomena in a new way;
using the vernal equinox, the time when the Sun crosses the
equator making night and day of equal length in all parts of the
Earth. To this point in the annual calendar, EARTH DAY
attaches no local or divisive set of symbols, no statement of the
truth or superiority of one way of life over another. But
the selection of the March equinox makes planetary observance of
a shared event possible.
“The vernal equinox calls on all
mankind to recognize and respect Earth’s beautiful systems
of balance, between the presence of animals on land, the fish in
the sea, birds in the air, mankind, water, air, and land.
Most importantly there must always be awareness of the actions by
people that can disturb this precious balance.”
John McConnell contacted UN Secretary
General U Thant in late 1970 and obtained his support for
making Earth Day a global holiday -- to be celebrated
each year on the March Equinox; the first day of Spring in the
Northern Hemisphere.
EARTH DAY HISTORY
The earliest recorded history of the people
of many diverse cultures celebrated the beginning of Spring at
the time of the equinox. Approximately three thousand years
ago men built Stonehenge using enormous stones that were arranged
to measure the first moment of the Vernal Equinox. Spring
is the renewal of life. The understanding of the vernal
equinox, the beginning of Spring, leads people to comprehend the
full meaning of EARTH DAY.
The Hebrew calendar, the old English legal
calendar, and many other societies in the northern hemisphere
celebrated the March Equinox as the beginning of the new
year. The prefixes SEPTember, OCTober, NOVember and
DECember stand for the 7th, 8th, 9th, and 10th; that would make
January and February the 11th and 12th months of the year, and as
a result, MARCH the first month! There are many Asiatic
nations around the Caspian Sea that continue to celebrate MARCH
21 as the first day of the year.
The vernal equinox calls on all mankind to
recognize and respect Earth’s beautiful systems of balance,
between the presence of animals on land, the fish in the sea,
birds in the air, human life, water, air, and land. There
must always be awareness of the fragility of these systems and
the danger of upsetting the balance by abuse.
PEACE BELL RINGS IN 1971
A highlight of the annual EARTH DAY
ceremony at the United Nations is the ringing of the Peace
Bell. The Peace Bell was a gift from Japan. It was
made from coins given by school children to further peace on our planet. On Earth Day the Peace Bell is
rung at the moment of Spring.
On the sounding of the Peace Bell at the
EARTH DAY celebration of March 21, 1971 U Thant, Secretary
General of the United Nations, called on people of all creeds and
cultures to observe a few moments of silence, to take time to
consider their role in the nurturing of Earth and their
commitment to its care.
After the ringing of the bell, he said,
“Mankind’s eternal aspirations for good instead of
evil, for peace, instead of war, have reached world wide
dimensions during this century. At long last the concept of
EARTH DAY, of world patriotism and of the family of man, have
come into being. May there only be peaceful and cheerful
EARTH DAYS to come for our beautiful space ship Earth as it
continues to spin and circle in frigid space with its warm and
fragile cargo of animate life."
In February 1971, Secretary General U Thant
signed the Earth Day Proclamation written in June 1970 by John
McConnell. (UN Release, text and a view of the document are
further below)
PEACE BELL CEREMONY IN 1972
Kurt Waldheim, Secretary General of the
United Nations, rang the Peace Bell at the ceremony observing
EARTH DAY March 21, 1972. This was part of a unique 12 hour
national television broadcast from Channel 9 in New York.
Harry Pearson, Newsday Environment Writer, reported this
was a landmark in the annals of Television Journalism. He
wrote that executives of WOR TV said they believed the public was
not sufficiently aware of the environmental crisis and working
cooperatively in league with the United Nations they began, at 6
AM on International Earth Day, the most comprehensive and
intellectualized look at the environment Pearson was aware of
being seen on American television.
EARTH DAY CEREMONY CONTINUES EACH
YEAR
1975 CELEBRATION
The United Nations EARTH DAY ceremony
continues to be observed each year on the day of the March
equinox (20th or 21st), with the ringing of the U. N. Peace Bell
at the very moment of the equinox. In 1975 the U.S. Congress
passed a resolution and President Ford proclaimed the observance
of Earth Day on the March Equinox.
1987 CELEBRATION
Earth Day is celebrated in many
countries. The celebration of Earth Day is a fine
demonstration of global community. For example, on Earth
Day in 1987 when the Peace Bell was rung by representatives of
three different cultures and religions: A Presbyterian,
Chester Morris – from the United States Mission to the
United Nations, an atheist, Valentine Karymov – from the
USSR Mission to the United Nations, and Sheik Ali Mukhtar –
representing the Muslim World League.
1994 CELEBRATION
The spirit of the Peace Bell was keenly
presented when two children, Dasana Tenne of Israel and Nasser
Obeid of Palestine, rang the Peace Bell in 1994.
1996 CELEBRATION
The annual celebration of Earth Day in
Vienna, Austria was aided in 1996 by the inauguration of a Peace
Bell installed in Vienna’s United Nations Center.
Accompanied by former UN Sec. Gen. Kurt Waldheim, John McConnell
rang the bell – which had been provided by Japan, and said,
“…the purpose of Earth Day is to make people feel the
importance of being Earth Trustees.”
1998 CELEBRATION
On EARTH DAY 1998, Cosmonaut Anatoli
Berezevoi rang a Peace Bell in Moscow. The Mir Space
Station joined in the observance – symbolizing the
universality of the day.
The value of the March Equinox had been
recognized in various ways throughout history. It was
China’s ancient New Year and is still officially celebrated
in Japan as “Spring Day.” Persia and other
ancient cultures (including the Mayans in Mexico) designated the
event for celebration. Today, Iran is a leading exponent of
its meaning. Their New Year (Noruz) is the March Equinox
and they have joined each year since 1980 in the United Nations
Earth Day Ceremony.
It has become a tradition to have the
ringing of the Peace Bell followed by two minutes of silence,
which could be used by each person to avow their devotion to
peace.
Nature has provided the equinox, a billion
year symbol of unity and balance. A united effort by all
people on this yearly occasion of nature’s equipoise can
stimulate more thought and action to foster global unity of mind
and purpose.
QUESTION
Are not dates other than the March
Equinox also celebrated as “Earth Day”?
Yes. The chief example of this has
been the April 22 Earth Day. While many groups have called
April 22 and other dates Earth Day and used them to further sound
environmental efforts and education, calling them Earth Day
causes confusion. The goal they pursue – environmental
education and action, can best accomplish their purpose by events
that complement and do not detract from the equinox Earth Day.
The history and the nature of Earth Day on
the Equinox provides a key to a future all can share.
Special days to help the environment can occur at any time.
They can all contribute to our common cause and common effort
– the rejuvenation of Earth.
President Anwar Sadat of Egypt called Earth
Day on the March Equinox, “The Great Day of Planet
Earth.”
One appropriate great day for Planet Earth
can bind hearts and minds in a common commitment to the
stewardship of Earth. Earth Day’s original purpose is
bound to the March Equinox.
EARTH SOCIETY FOUNDED
To strengthen the mission of Earth Day John
McConnell and Margaret Mead established The Earth Society
Foundation in 1976. The Foundation’s purposes are:
"Encouraging people of all races,
creeds, and religions, nationalities and ideologies to become
active participants in the preservation of the Earth’s
natural resources.
“Seeking to redirect the energies of
governments, industries, and individuals away from destruction,
waste and pollution of the physical environment and toward the
development of products and services which will protect, enhance
and improve the condition of the Earth, on the land and sea, and
thereby benefit all the citizens of all nations.
“Encourage and increase awareness of
Earth life through the exposure to nature’s wonders and
through individual silent reflection, meditation, or prayer
– seeking attitudes, feelings, and conduct that will foster
unity and cooperation in the love and care of Earth.
“Conduct educational programs and
seminars and promote research and investigation throughout the
world for the purpose of providing data to all individuals and
institutions who are joining in the movement to promote and
implement the Earth care ethic: namely, that the
stewardship and care of earth requires action to produce and use
materials and services that help nurture, conserve and recycle,
without destructive pollution, the organisms and nutrients of
Earth’s web of life. Coordinate or assist the work of
like-minded organizations for the purposes of minimizing
unnecessary duplication of energies and maximizing the impact and
effectiveness of the earth care movement.”
These tasks have been taken up by many
different groups world-wide and as acknowledgment of their
dedication they are known as Earth Trustees.
From the earliest days of the founding of
EARTH DAY John McConnell stated that any person who makes
responsible choices in areas of ecology, economics and ethics is
to be known as an Earth Trustee. Delineation of ecology,
economics, and ethics as they relate to the Earth Trustees are:
ECOLOGY: Protection
and nurture of Earth’s life and natural resources by Earth
Care choices in buying, selling and giving that increase
Earth’s natural equilibrium and diminishes pollution.
ECONOMICS: Action
and programs that will provide all people, regardless of race, a
stake in their planet – a secure homestead, stable money and
fair credit.
ETHICS: An inner
commitment – through daily prayer, meditation or by faithful
reflection, to combine love of God with love of world neighbors
and love of earth, and bring them all together each year on EARTH
DAY, the celebration of the Equinox.
STATEMENT OF JOHN McCONNELL
Our beautiful planet Earth, filled with
pain and suffering, capable of life, beauty and love, is being
destroyed by ignorance, greed and waste.
The nurture and renewal of Earth is the
most urgent task. Singly, and with the help of others, we must
act as trustees. We must seek in our jobs, buying habits,
travel, land use and other activities at home, work and play, to
respect and protect Earth's amazing web of life -- its soil,
water, air, plants and living creatures.
Every single person, and families, should
have an opportunity for a stake in this planet, for a home,
education and meaningful work; that in their area of
responsibility, they should act, not as spoilers of Earth, but as
caretakers.
Global acceptance of responsibility for
protection and nurture of life on our amazing planet will bring
new hope, health and prosperity for all earth’s
people. We will continue the human quest for meaning and
purpose in the Cosmos – ‘Why are we here and where are
we going?’ We will seek answers to the enigmas of time
and space. We will test hypotheses about creation and moral
creeds by how much they inspire freedom and order, faith and
love; all community interests.
A new day is dawning. Light is
piercing our gloom. New life is stirring in our
bones. We’re learning the meaning of love. We
can, we will, now make of our planet a Garden of Eden…our
home in space, a nest surrounded by beckoning stars.
CHILDREN LEARNING RESPONSIBILITY
The children of the world are learning to
accept responsibility, to promote the growth of trees, flowers,
food crops as well as to be on the alert for causes of
pollution. Fred Burrous, who was with the Red Cross for
many years, aided Earth Day from its inception. He believed
the Earth Trustee program would be great for children and
initiated a Young Earth Trustee program. He told children,
"Do something: pick up trash, recycle, plant flowers,
smile, and you will qualify as a Young Earth Trustee.”
Schools have initiated Young Earth Trustee
programs. Middle School children in Bethel Connecticut
participated in clean-up and recycling programs and then decided
they wanted their town to be an Earth Trustee Town. They
conducted an essay contest, “Why not Bethel.” And
in 1999 the winner was sent with her family to attend the Earth
Day ceremonies at the United Nations. As the Peace Bell at
the United Nations was rung a Peace Bell in Bethel also
rang. As has become the custom, two minutes of silence was
observed following the ringing of the Bell.
The more Earth Trustees there are the more
we can believe in the future. When enough people care for the
Earth and trust each other we will have a healthy peaceful
planet.
WHAT TO DO ON EARTH DAY
In answer to the question “What
exactly are we supposed to do on Earth Day,” the following
has been helpful to many: LOOKING AHEAD The more we
act as Earth Trustees, the better we will know what to do on
Earth Day. As Earth Trustees we will strive in our daily
life to help “peace, justice and the care of
Earth.” We will seek to make choices in our daily
conduct that will foster harmony, lessen pollution, diminish
waste and assist nature. (Walk more, ride less, buy less,
grow some of your own food, recycle, plant a tree,
etc.) Join some group that is helping to further
these goals.
Then on Earth Day think about and talk
about our wonderful planet – what you have done to help it
and your plans for the coming year. To celebrate the wonder
of this amazing planet you can join with others at your church,
school or other group – with exhibits and speakers, and
invigorate participation with music and entertainment.
Aware we are one human family, people from
every creed and culture link hearts and minds in silent prayer or
reflection for a minute or more around this special moment.
Peace Bells at the United Nations and other places will be
ringing -- reminding us the wonder of Spring is here.
Then when we have the first celebration of
Spring and new life in the Year 2000 Earth Day, bells will ring
all over the earth in the Equinox initiation of a new and better
future for our planet!
**********************************************************
UNITED NATIONS Press Release SG/1749 -- 26 February 1971
SECRETARY-GENERAL SIGNS EARTH DAY
PROCLAMATION
The Secretary-General, U Thant, signed
today an Earth Day Proclamation for the celebration of Earth Day
on 21 March 1971 -- the vernal equinox, or first day of Spring in
the Northern Hemisphere.
The observance of Earth Day was initiated
last year by the City of San Francisco. The Proclamation has
already been signed by a number of eminent personalities,
including Col. Buzz Aldrin, United States astronaut; Luther H.
Evans, former Director-General of the Untied Nations Educational,
Scientific and Cultural Organization; Miss Margaret Mead,
anthropologist; Miss Estelle Feldman, Chairman of the Commission
on Man and Environment of the 1970 World Youth Assembly, and
Chief S. O. Adebo, Executive Director of the United Nations
Institute for Training and Research.
The Secretary-General has also agreed to
issue a message in connection with the observance of Earth Day,
and to attend a ceremony at United Nations Headquarters at which
the Peace Bell will be rung. The ceremony will take place at 2
p.m. on Sunday, 21 March (1900 Universal Time), in commemoration
of the signing of the United Nations Charter at San Francisco.
The Text of the Earth Day Proclamation
written by John McConnell in June 1970 is as follows:
Earth Day
Proclamation
Whereas: A new world view
is emerging; through the eyes of our Astronauts and
Cosmonauts we now see our beautiful blue planet as a home
for all people, and
Whereas: Planet Earth is
facing a grave crisis which only the people of Earth Can
resolve, and the delicate balances of nature, essential
for our survival, can only be saved through a global
effort, involving all of us, and
Whereas: In our
shortsightedness we have failed to make provisions for
the poor, as well as the rich, to inherit the Earth, and
our new enlightenment requires that the disinherited be
given a just stake in the Earth and its future ~~ their
enthusiastic cooperation is essential if we are to
succeed in the great task of Earth renewal, and
Whereas: World equality in
economics as well as politics would remove a basic cause
of war, and neither Socialism, Communism nor Capitalism
in their present forms have realized the potentials of
Man for a just society, nor educated Man in the ways of
peace and creative love, and
Whereas: Through voluntary
action individuals can join with one another in building
the Earth in harmony with nature, and promote support
thereof by private and government agencies, and
Whereas: Individuals and
groups may follow different methods and programmes in
Earthkeeping and Earthbuilding, nevertheless by constant
friendly communication with other groups and daily
meditation on the meaning of peace and goodwill they will
tend more and more to be creative, sensitive,
experimental, and flexible in resolving differences with
others, and
Whereas: An international
EARTH DAY each year can provide a special time to draw
people together in appreciation of their mutual home,
Planet Earth, and bring a global feeling of community
through realization of our deepening desire for life,
freedom and love, and our mutual dependence on each
other,
Be it Therefore Resolved:
That each signer of this People Proclamation will seek to
help change Man's terrible course toward catastrophe by
searching for activities and projects which in the best
judgment of the individual signer will:
~peacefully end the
scourge of war…
~provide an opportunity
for the children of the disinherited poor to obtain their
rightful inheritance in the Earth…
~redirect the energies of
industry and society from progress through
products...to progress through harmony with Earth's
natural systems for improving the quality of life…
That each signer will (his
own conscience being his judge) measure his commitment by
how much time and money he gives to these purposes, and
realizing the great urgency of the task, he will give
freely of his time and money to activities and programmes
he believes will best further these Earth renewal
purposes. (At least 9 percent of the world's present
income is going to activities that support war and spread
pollution. Ten percent can tip the balance for healthy
peaceful progress.)
Furthermore, each signer
will support and observe EARTH DAY on March
21st....(Vernal Equinox ~~ when night and day are equal
throughout the Earth) with reflection and actions that
encourage a new respect for Earth with its great
potentials for fulfilling Man's highest dreams; and on
this day will join at 19:00 Universal Time in a global
EARTH HOUR ~~ a silent hour for peace....."
[End of Press Release]
ORIGINAL SIGNERS OF THE EARTH DAY
PROCLAMATION -- 1970-71
1. Alexander B. Grannis -- New York Assembly;
2. Judith Hollister -- The Temple of Understanding;
3. Luther Evans -- Former Director General of UNESCO;
4. Estelle Feldman (Ireland) -- 1970 World Youth
Assembly;
5. David R. Brower -- Friends of the Earth;
6. Arvid Pardo -- Ambassador, UN Mission to Malta;
7. Margaret Mead – Anthropologist;
8. Eugene McCarthy -- U.S. Senator from
Minnesota;
9. John Gardner -- Common Cause;
10. Mike Gravel -- U.S. Senator from Alaska;
11. Hugh Scott -- U.S. Senator from Pennsylvania;
12. Buzz Aldrin -- American Astronaut;
13. S. O. Adebo (Nigeria) -- President of UN
Assembly;
14. U Thant (Ceylon) -- United Nations Secretary
General;
15. Maurice Strong (Canada) -- UN Environmental
Program;
16. Y. Fukushima (Japan) – Environmental
Scientist;
17. Rene J. Dubos -- Environmental Scientist;
18. Lubos Kohoutek (Czechoslovakia) –
Astronomer;
19. Buckminster Fuller -- Inventor, Scientist,
Scholar;
20. Mark Hatfield -- U.S. Senator from
Oregon
SIGNATURES ADDED:
In the years between 1990-1996 more people
had become aware of the observance of EARTH DAY; they
wanted to be involved. They familiarized themselves
with the EARTH DAY PROCLAMATION. To demonstrate their
agreement with all the concerns and issues set forth they
placed their signatures on the Proclamation joining
that of the Secretary-General and those that had
signed in the previous years; they are:
21. John Denver –
Singer, Activist;
22. Robert Muller (France) -- Assistant Secretary General,
United Nations;
23. Edward Abramson – Majority Whip, New York State
Assembly;
24. Isaac Asimov – Author;
25. Aly Teymour (Egypt) -- Chief of Protocol, United
Nations;
26. Anatoly N. Berezovoi (Russia) – Cosmonaut;
27. Cynthia Lennon (United Kingdom) – Artist;
28. Stan Lundine -- Lieutenant Governor, New York;
29. David Dinkins -- Mayor of New York City;
30. Oscar Arias -- President of Costa Rico;
31. Audrey McLaughlin -- Leader, NDP, Canada;
32. George Fernandes -- Minister of Transportation,
India;
33. Carlos Salinas -- President of Mexico;
34. Yasir Arafat -- President of Palestine;
35. Yehudi Menuhin -- Musician, Violinist;
36. Mikhail Gorbachev --
President of Russia
See the Earth Day Proclamation
AN EARTH TRUSTEE
VISION
‘Where there is no
vision the people perish’
Where there is vision the people prosper.
As we approach a new Millennium people are
looking for a truly new approach to solving the problem of
violence and the enigma of rags and riches in a world of
abundance. We need a new vision that reflects awareness of
the state of the world, its dangers and possibilities, and then
to decide what to do about it.
For a new perspective, imagine, for a
moment, a visitor to our planet. Aware of human history he
would see the amazing accumulation of knowledge and know-how, the
advancement of technology – and now the Information
Super-Highway, which makes possible linkages that can serve both
unity and diversity and foster peaceful progress.
Aware of our incredible raw materials and
natural resources, he would wonder at the stupid poverty and
pollution that covers our globe.
“Where there is no vision the people
perish.” Our main problem is the lack of vision.
Actions good or bad begin in the mind. The theme of the
United Nations is “Peace Through Understanding.”
The idea that can best illuminate our
understanding is recognition that we are all Trustees of
Earth. We each have equal rights and responsibilities in
regard to our planet. Our task is to seek in ecology,
economics and ethics the choices that will encourage initiative,
eliminate poverty and pollution, and provide a sustainable
future.
There are two levels of effort
needed. On the one hand, we must take emergency action to
remedy problems using social structures as they presently
exist. Many political and economic institutions are unfair
and inefficient, but compromises are needed for emergency
action. The hungry should be fed. The homeless
housed. The worst case pollution addressed. At the
same time, we must seek to restructure institutions with Earth
Trustee goals and policies.
New solutions are being considered and
tried in different parts of the world. Tree planting,
composting, clean energy, Earth Villages (combining nature,
electronics and the ‘Small is Beautiful’ concept) are
other new initiatives that can implement the Earth Trustee agenda
in the new Millennium.
One problem is that people’s choices
are more often the product of their emotions than of their
understanding. Passions of greed, fear, hate, lust and
desire for power – as well as the influence of identity with
ethnic history and its grievances – often result in choices
that reject understanding and common sense. This
‘evil’ in society can be overcome by the power of
love. The right role of religion in society is
essential: (1) New emphasis must be given to the fact that
most all religions teach the power of love and the importance of
the Golden Rule. (2) There must be tolerance for
people of different beliefs about the ultimate mysteries of life
– who or what is God, life after death, other dimensions of
reality (questions on which honest minds can differ).
Our need is to work together for what we
agree is important – fair opportunity and care of people and
planet – and allow room for differences on other
matters. This policy will bring the best for each nation
and neighborhood.
The Earth Trustee vision is a new and
better way to the future and provides an agenda that will heal,
nurture and prosper our planet.
The original Earth Day – on the
Equinox, March 21, 1970 – gave birth to the Earth Trustee
idea. Plan now what you and some group you belong to will
do on Earth Day 2000 – and future Earth Days. Global
attention and participation can make the new millennium an Earth
Trustee Millennium of discovery and fulfillment.
EARTH DAY 2000
The event that can do the most to bring
people together who are seeking a better tomorrow is the
observance of the equinox on the Millennium Earth Day, which will
occur at the United Nations in New York on March 20, 2000 at 2:35
a. m. Media in every country announce the local time
when Spring or Fall will begin. The Earth Day Equinox is
the beginning of Spring in the Northern Hemisphere. At the same
time, in the Southern Hemisphere they will observe the
beginning of Fall – the time of Nature’s rest that
complements Spring. Let people everywhere know this is
Earth Day and the importance of this common event.
The local time of the equinox – which
changes every year -- is always more convenient in some places
than in others. In the year 2000 the area where the equinox
will be at High Noon is Bombay, India. (12:05 p. m. March
20) Midnight Equinox will occur in the longitude of Mexico
City on March 20 at 12:35 a. m.
Convenience in different time zones will
vary. Those who believe strongly in the power of faith and
the benefit of a global simultaneous convergence of personal
commitments to Earth Trustee action will join with love and
prayer around the equinox regardless of the time. The more
understanding of Earth Day – the harmony of the Equinox and
vision of Earth Trustee actions, the better the future will be
for you and your planet. All that we need to achieve the
rejuvenation of Earth is to have media and the global state of
mind reflect the importance of the Equinox and its observance on
Earth Day. Spread the word, and help make Earth Day
“The Great Day of Earth!”
International Earth Day Official Site:
http://www.earthsite.org
Earth Day & WOW Zone:
http://www.wowzone.com/wow-ed.htm
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