With a vision to provide the best natural and sustainably raised meat and game, certain days of the year mean a lot to Fossil Farms. To say Earth Day is valued here would be an understatement. We believe in our sustainable mission, and the care of our planet, with everything from the products we sell, all the way to the packaging we use in which to ship it. We all have heard of Earth Day, but how many of you know the history of this meaningful day, though.
Although not officially recognized by Congress until years later, the seeds for Earth Day were planted in 1962. That year Rachel Carlson published the book Silent Spring, and it opened a lot of people’s eyes. This book helped raise awareness for issues with animal rearing, the environment, and the link between pollution and our well-being. This influential book became a NY Times best seller with over 500,000 copies sold in more than twenty-four countries.
In January of 1969, a massive oil spill in Santa Barbara, California, brought all these concerns to the forefront. The junior senator from Wisconsin, Senator Gaylord Nelson, decided to take action by harnessing the energy of the “anti-war” movement which was prevalent on college campuses. Bringing on the conservation-minded Republican congressmen Pete McCloskey to co-chair a committee, they soon enlisted young activist, Denis Hayes, to begin to organize a college “teach-in” on April 22nd. Hayes, though, had bigger ideas.
Hayes built a staff of 85 to bring his ideas to more than just college campuses. Naming the day Earth Day, it began to gain some much-needed media attention as well as that of several different organizations. The original Earth Day in 1970 inspired 20 million people, at the time ten percent on the American population, to form demonstrations. This rare political movement not only crossed party lines but also the classes.
The first Earth Day also inspired a lot of political change. By the end of 1970, we saw the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency as well as the Clean Air Act and Occupational Safety and Health Act. 1972 and ’73 saw even more changes and limelight put into the environmental issues with the passing of the Clean Water Act and the Endangered Species Act.
From its simple beginnings to its ultimate changes it made in the politics of our Nation, Earth day is now considered the largest the largest secular observance in the world. More than 141 countries, over one billion people participate in this wonderful day.
We, at Fossil Farms, are proud to play whatever role we can to help move this observance forward through everything we do. From us to you, we wish you a Happy Earth Day.