Gaylord Nelson dies at 89

As a U.S. Senator, Gaylord Nelson helped enact the 1964 Wilderness Act and the 1968 Wild and Scenic Rivers Act, but he's better known for being the spark behind the first April 22 Earth Day in 1970. Ever since, Americans celebrate Earth Day on April 22nd by cleaning up the outdoors and making various enviro-friendly gestures (and here's my rant on that subject). However, the world's first Earth Day was actually held a month earlier that year, and the international community celebrates Earth Day on the spring equinox. It's a direct measure of Nelson's insight and influence that his Earth Day continues to displace the real original one.