The Findings of Gaylord Nelson

 

            Evan Marchand 

           04-27-23

                                                                Gaylord Nelson 

                  Gaylord Anton Nelson was an American Democratic Politician and Environmentalist. Born and         raised in Wisconsin, where he grew up on his families farm, This farm likely jumpstarted the inspiration for Nelson's dedication in environmentalism. Proceeding High school, he attended the San Jose State University to study Law, Graduated in 1942 and was later admitted to the Bar association, where he would work in law. He even spent some time stationed in Okinawa Japan fighting in World war 2. Following his military service he served for four years and two terms as the Governor of Wisconsin before he was elected to the US senate in 1962. During his time as Governor, His interest in environmental issues began to grow, specifically for pollution and  loss of natural resources.  He operated in the senate from 1963 to 1981, and even got the opportunity to advise under president John F Kennedy. After he lost his re-election campaign for senate in 1980,  he became elected counselor for The Wilderness Society, an American non-profit organization, dedicating their legacy to conserving the federal wildness areas in the United states. His efforts in The Wilderness Society eventually earned him the Presidential Medal of Honor in September of 1995 nominated by President Bill Clinton. Nelson died an unfortunate death to heart disease in 2005, but not before leaving a legacy of his own. The University of Wisconsin-Madison became a namesake for Nelson, becoming the Gaylord Nelson Institute for environmental studies and The Gaylord Nelson Wilderness Area in northern Wisconsin . Nelson is also  the founding father of Earth day and began one of the biggest environmentalist movements in history.

Photo of a Gaylord Nelson election pin by: MilwWi521(wiki commons)

           Nelson's desire for environmentalism began when he was young, as a boy he would help out on his parents farm gaining a sense for the environment and how important it is. Growing up in Wisconsin, Nelson learned his progressive style of politics from famous Wisconsin senator "Fighting Bob" La Follette. Once he reached governors office, Nelson began to grow more concerned for environmental disputes, such as pollution of the air and water, depletion of natural resources and the conversion of forests replaced by industrial land. However it wasn't until 1963 when Nelson was elected to the senate where he could begin to spread environmental awareness and in 1970, Nelson proposed a nation-wide teaching of environmental protection/conservation, where children and adults could gain knowledge on the importance of the environment. These teachings ultimately led to the creation of Earth day in April of that year, which is now celebrated annually every April 22nd. The first rendition of Earth day was a Success, millions of Americans from all around the nation competed in events and raised awareness about important environmental issues. Nelson didn't only contribute to earth day, he had important roles in dozens of impactful bills to aid the environment, those included, the Clean Air Act, The National Environmental Policy Act, along with many other legislative documents protecting of public land and wildlife, and removal of toxic substances. He even played a big role in the establishment of the Environmental Protection Agency(EPA). These bills and events proposed by Gaylord Nelson sparked a conversation of how to protect the earth for future generations to come.

Photo of a speech on the first ever Earth Day: Ann Arbor(wiki commons) 

        Despite his vast list of accomplishments, Nelson faced his fair share of criticism and opposition. As the world was growing increasingly Industrial, many big corporations saw Nelson's push for environmentalism as a threat to their economic interests.  Companies such as Logging or paper mills began to fear the consequences of increased environmentalism. Resources like Logs and Paper played a huge role in the economy, especially the sate economy of Wisconsin where Nelson was born. If these companies were to take a large financial hit, it would send a shock through the rest of the states economy, and most likely the nations economy as well. During every step of the way Gaylord Nelson was met with harsh resistance from big industries, as well as elected officials in the state governments that disagree with the economic risks that increased environmental awareness could bring. He was also opposed by those who thought environmental was an intrusion on business rights and believed it was an unnecessary burden. Yet through so many setbacks Nelson remained persistent, standing up for what he believed in, he recognized the environment was in dire need of help and he did exactly that. Nelson's conflicts can serve as a reminder not only to how many obstacles environmental activists face, but also that environmentalism is a battle fought with persistence, and Gaylord Nelson was the embodiment of Persistent. Now he's left with a timeless legacy and an annual holiday to immortalize him.

                    

Portrait of Gaylord Nelson by:Office of the Governor of Wisconsin(wiki commons)

            

                Nelson has left his mark on history, more than almost any environmentalist before him. The role he played inspiring millions of people to be more environmentally conscious was huge, so huge that a holiday he founded is still globally celebrated to this day. Acts such as the Clean Air Act or the National Environmental Protection Act, helped set the standard for Environmental preservation, and ensured the industries would be held accountable for their impact on the environment . His policies regarding the preservation of wildlife and natural resources helped save, or delay the loss of natural resources for generations to come. His efforts in removing toxic wastes and substances from the environment had vast impacts on human health. As far as students at Keene State, we can see just how far the spread of environmentalism has grown, with campus wide events, holidays like Earth Day and classes teaching the importance of Earths conservation, And all of it wouldn't have been possible without Gaylord Nelson. It is evident this spark of environmentalism Gaylord Nelson ignited, Is still remarkably present, and its only gotten stronger. The battle for the Environment is far from won, but the efforts from figures like Gaylord Nelson and many others can serve as a reminder to be persistent and fight to preserve what we have left of the world

Photo of Earth Day post by:BLABLA21345(wiki commons)

Sources:https://www.wilderness.org/articles/article/gaylord-nelson

https://nelsonearthday.net/gaylord-nelson-founder-of-earth-day/