Today is Earth Day. It happens every year on April 22nd. And it’s been happening every year for more than 50 years.
Back then, air pollution in many cities across America, including San Diego and especially Los Angeles, was bad.
If you were around in Southern California back then, you will remember what the air was like. You could often not even see the big mountains east of L-A because of the smog. And that smog and haze would also drift down the San Diego coastline.
Emissions from cars and trucks were a lot dirtier back then and more smoke stacks at plants and factors were pouring out more pollutants than now.
According to the Earth Day website, it was Wisconsin Senator Gaylord Nelson who capitalized on the energy of student anti-war protests at the time to draw attention to the growing concern about air and water pollution.
That first Earth Day in 1970 was very unique because the idea gained the support from not only other Democrats, but Republicans, too. And that led to passage of the Clean Air Act and the Clean Water Act.
Now, 54 years later, the heavy smog of decades ago is gone and our environment is much better than it was back then.
And that certainly is worth remembering, given the divisive and even somewhat polluted political atmosphere here in 2024.
(Photo Getty Images)
Photo: Getty Images