Celebrating the 40th anniversary of Earth Day

April 14, 2010 | Clean Water, Dams & Dam Removal, Floods & Floodplains, Global Warming, Greening Water Infrastructure, Most Endangered Rivers, National River Cleanup, Protecting Rivers, Restoring Rivers, Water Supply, Wild and Scenic Rivers, Small Streams & Wetlands, Water Efficiency, Stormwater & Sewage

Next week marks the 40th anniversary of Earth Day, an event that captures worldwide attention and has special personal meaning for me.

I was in Omaha, Nebraska on the first Earth Day. As a high-school senior, I organized a community Earth Day fair. The day was an epiphany for me. It lead to one of the highlights of my early career, working for the founder of Earth Day, Senator Gaylord Nelson, and put me on the path to where I am today as president of the nation’s leading river conservation organization.

On this 40th anniversary of Earth Day we should celebrate the progress the river conservation movement has made. Rivers like Ohio’s Cuyahoga no longer catch fire because they are so polluted. More than 500 outdated dams have been removed nationwide, thanks to the work of American Rivers and our partners. We have played an instrumental role in adding thousands of miles of rivers to the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System, protecting these gems for future generations.

But we still have a lot of work to do. Our drinking water supplies still face threats from pollution. The health of our rivers and the communities that depend on them are at risk from unsafe dams, excessive diversions, and poorly planned development – just to name a few. Climate change is adding new urgency to our river conservation efforts, because it is bringing more severe floods, droughts and water pollution.

Despite these challenges, I am hopeful. Thanks to the advocacy of American Rivers, more and more communities are embracing 21st century solutions like protecting wetlands and floodplains, and implementing water efficiency measures. We are helping rivers literally come back to life – rivers like Maine’s Kennebec and Virginia’s Rappahannock and Oregon’s Sandy where outdated dams have been torn down.

And, I am energized by the passion and dedication of our staff and supporters at American Rivers. I am grateful for the tens of thousands of local citizens who volunteer to help our country’s 3.5 million miles of rivers, through cleanups and other activities.

Wondering how you can help rivers this Earth Day? You can sign up for our alerts and updates, make a donation, or participate in National River Cleanup 2010.

Thank you for supporting the work of American Rivers. With your help, we will have even more to celebrate on Earth Day’s golden anniversary.

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