Today is the 40th anniversary of Earth Day and I have to wonder what Senator Gaylord Nelson would think of our progress.

Founded in 1970, following a devastating oil spill off the coast of Santa Barbara in 1969 and the apparent political inertia in Washington, Sen. Nelson proposed a national teach-in on the environment to be observed by every university campus in the United States. He began by spreading the word in a speech to a conservation group in Seattle on Sept. 20 of that year and then six days later to the United Auto Workers.

In less than two weeks, on Sept. 29, 1969, the New York Times ran a front-page article. Gladwin Hill wrote:

“Rising concern about the ‘environmental crisis’ is sweeping the nation’s campuses with an intensity that may be on its way to eclipsing student discontent over the war in Vietnam…a national day of observance of environmental problems, analogous to the mass demonstrations on Vietnam, is being planned for next spring, when a nationwide environmental “teach-in”….coordinated from the office of Senator Gaylord Nelson is planned….”

April 22, 1970 was the first national Earth Day and without the benefit of the Internet, email or Facebook, more than 20 million people participated.

Today Earth Day is celebrated in more than 175 countries and over 500 million people participate. The 2011 theme is “A Billion Acts of Green.”

To participate and make your pledge of Green visit the Earth Day Network’s website at: www.actearthday.org. It can be as simple as pledging to take a shorter shower, plant a tree, use more energy efficient light bulbs, or ride your bicycle to work.

Together, 500 million strong, we can make a difference.

I pledge to eat more local food and change out my light bulbs for more energy-efficient ones.

What will you do this year?

Betty Ramsey is the publisher of the Tryon Daily Bulletin. Her email address is betty.ramsey@tryondailybulletin.com.