VISUAL ACTIVITY Earth Day 1970 Building on the success of teach-ins about the Vietnam War, Democratic senator Gaylord Nelson of Wisconsin came up with the idea of Earth Day “to shake up the political establishment and force this issue [environmentalism] onto the national agenda.” As a result, on April 22, 1970, some twenty million people participated in grassroots demonstrations throughout the country. Above are demonstrators in New York City. © Dennis Stock/Magnum Photos. READING THE IMAGE: What aspects of environmentalism are reflected in the colored faces in the forefront and in the banner behind? Why might young people have been especially drawn to the environmental movement? CONNECTIONS: What new environmental policies were enacted in the early 1970s?