Happy 50th Birthday Earth Day!

Earth Day was born on April 22, 1970. Every year, on April 22nd, we celebrate the wonders of our Earth and all that it has to offer and everything that we can do to help preserve its beauty and resources.

The Rise of the Environmental Movement

Throughout much of history, the environment was not of great concern. In 1962, the book Silent Spring by Rachel Carson, a life-long scientist, shed light on the negative impact of toxic chemicals on our environment. Ms. Carson’s legacy is fascinating and I encourage you to visit her website to learn more about this pioneering woman in science.

Silent Spring was an overwhelming bestseller and gave rise to the environmental movement. The book promoted concern for the health of our world’s animals, plants, and ecosystems and illustrated the potential destruction from reckless pollution.

The First Earth Day

Senator Gaylord Nelson from Wisconsin founded the first Earth Day. He was inspired to promote the environmental movement after he saw the effects of a large oil spill in Santa Barbara in 1969. Building on the environmental awareness that was growing in the world, he used Earth Day as a platform to change the way that air and water pollution were addressed in the United States. Over 20 million people participated in Earth Day in their communities. The day, aimed at teaching others about how to care for the environment and raising general awareness, drew crowds of people from young to old all across the country.

Earth Day Over the Years

Since 1970, Earth Day has become a global event that is celebrated in over 193 countries. The Earth Day Network helps to plan activities throughout the world to continue to bring awareness to the importance of caring for our environment. You can learn more about the Earth Day Network and how to become involved on their website.

Careers in Environmental Science

As a geologist, I spent many years working in the environmental industry as a consultant to corporations and individuals. My work involved assessing properties that had possible pollution then designing and executing a method for clean-up. Whether the site has soil or groundwater contamination, I and the companies I worked with, ensured that our clients were able to achieve their goals of protecting the environment.

If you are interested in working in the environmental arena, geologists and biologists are always in demand. You can work as a consultant, for the government helping to ensure that pollution is properly handled, as a researcher studying the environment and ways to keep it healthy, and much more. The Cool Jobs in Geology article may help you on your path as a future scientist. As always, if you have a question about careers in geology or environmental, contact me and I will be happy to help you find the right path forward.

Happy Earth Day!

Comments are closed.