EARTH DAY

Washington Post Staff Writers David A. Fahrenthold and Juliet Eilperin describe Earth Day’s journey on its 40th anniversary. For the article, they interviewed a handful of the 20-somethings who worked 15-hour days in Washington to create the holiday in 1970.

In those days, the article stated, the group worked for then-Sen. Gaylord Nelson (D-Wis.), who died in 2005. Nelson wanted to promote environmental issues after he visited an oil spill in Santa Barbara, Calif. His idea was to have a “teach in,” for getting voters aware of these issues.

Many in Washington at the time didn’t need much education, however. The article said the Potomac River was heavily polluted, and the news of Cleveland's Cuyahoga River catching on fire was fresh. In 1966, New York smog was blamed from killing more than 150 people, and the bald eagles numbered fewer than 2,000 because of the pesticide DDT.

With help from the group, the first Earth Day rallies were held in New York, Washington and Albuquerque. Events were held at colleges and in classrooms, and the article estimated one in 10 Americans participated.