In 1970, the first Earth Day was celebrated in the United States. Gaylord Nelson, from Clear Lake, Wisconsin, was the father of Earth Day and it remains the largest organized demonstration in history.
In honor of the 40th anniversary, a series of environmental community discussions will be held throughout the St. Croix River watershed. These discussions are being called "Teach-Ins," and are free and open to the public.
The Park Theater and The Sherman and Ruth Weiss Community Library will co-host a Teach-in on Sunday, October 17 at 2:00 pm at the Park Theater
Funded by the Wisconsin Humanities Council and led by discussion moderators Dr. Carolyn Wedin and Professor Richard Kyte, the Teach-Ins are an opportunity for community members to talk about current environmental concerns and challenges and to celebrate the legacy of environmental conservation championed by Gaylord Nelson.
"We felt from the beginning that Gaylord Nelson would have been very disappointed if the anniversary of Earth Day was spent looking back at past accomplishments and not looking forward to the futures of our communities," explains Carrie Classon, the organizer of the Gaylord Nelson Earth Day Project. "How is Gaylord Nelson's legacy felt today? In what ways do environmental concerns define our communities and how we feel about the places we live?"
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