Earth Day has a Wisconsin connection

It’s springtime! Every year on April 22, Earth Day is celebrated across the United States.

You have likely heard of Earth Day and may have even taken part in activities aimed at cleaning up or protecting our environment. But did you know that Earth Day has a close Wisconsin connection?

Earth Day began more than 50 years ago in 1970 when Gaylord Nelson, a United States Senator from Wisconsin and former Wisconsin Governor, conceived of the event. He thought a grassroots effort could bring awareness about environmental issues to citizens and politicians alike.

The world in 1970 was a much more polluted place. At that time, there were no laws to stop corporations or others from polluting the environment. Garbage was piling up everywhere, industrial waste was dumped in rivers and lakes and dangerous pesticides were sprayed across food crops. Many people were concerned about the way humans were treating our valuable natural resources. Something clearly needed to be done to reverse the damage we inflicted on the planet.

According to Gaylord Nelson, the National TeachIn on the Crisis of the Environment (an early name for the event) was expected to mobilize American youth in a huge effort to stop ongoing pollution and destruction of the environment. Millions of school children, college students and others took to the streets, organized events and protested to bring the issue to the forefront of our government’s attention which worked. After the Earth Day demonstrations and out of the efforts of many, the government established the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the National

Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the Clean Air Act by the end of 1970.

Gaylord Nelson was born in Clear Lake, Wisconsin in 1916. After graduating from college and fighting in World War II, he returned to his home state to practice law and began his political career.

Gaylord Nelson served as Wisconsin’s governor from 1958 until 1962 when he was elected as a United States Senator. He remained in his Senate seat until 1980 when he was defeated by another.

Gaylord Nelson was an avid champion for the environment and helped enact several laws protecting our natural resources while in office. In addition to starting Earth Day, he contributed to the establishment of the

Section of Anderson Street to be closed starting April 10

Special To The Clarion

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REMEMBERING

Adam Lee Suby, 1987-2009

Philip Ejercito, 1981-2013

The City of Madison will be closing a portion of Anderson Street along the Madison Area Technical College Truax Campus for bus rapid transit construction.

Anderson Street will close April 10 to allow for construction of two bus rapid transit stations.

A station will be constructed on each side of Anderson Street near Wright Street. The April 10 start date will ensure both new stations are complete before the start of the fall semester. Students should use Hoffman Street as an alternative during the closure.

Message boards and signage will be placed by the city on U.S. Highway 51, Anderson Street, Kinsman and Hoffman Street directing vehicles through alternate routes. Anderson Street will remain open to the Foundation Centre parking lot and the parking lot adjacent to the café and administration building.

Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, the preservation of the Appalachian Trail, the incorporation of the St. Croix, Namekagon and Wolf rivers into the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System, the development of the Environmental Education Act and aided in the passage of the Menominee Restoration Act and the establishment of the Upper Great Lakes Regional Commission.

Gaylord Nelson’s efforts laid the groundwork for many protections yet there is still major and wide-reaching concern over the state of the environment. Want to learn more about Earth Day, Gaylord Nelson or what can you do to help protect the environment?

Check out these resources at the library:

“Earth Day and the Global Environmental Movement: Standing Up for Earth,” by Christy Peterson.

“The Man from Clear Lake: Earth Day Founder Senator Gaylord Nelson,” by Bill Christofferson.

“Taking Action to Help the Environment,” by Eric Braun.

Publicsafety

By Sgt. Lucas Adler

Sexual Assault Awareness Month

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month. Public Safety wants the college community to know that we are here to support anyone who is a survivor of sexual assault and make you aware of resources available to you. As always, you can contact the Public Safety Department to report a sexual assault by stopping by our office or calling our emergency number at 608-2452222. If you would like to speak with a Madison College counselor, you can call 608-246-6060.

A good resource in the Madison area is the Rape Crisis Center (RCC). RCC can be reached by calling 608-251-7273. You can also find more information at their website, www.thercc.org.

If you are a survivor of sexual assault, you are not alone and Madison College is here to support you. Public Safety has Officers available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. You can reach us anytime by calling 608-245-2222. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact me at lfadler@ madisoncollege.edu.

WolfPack Alert

Have you signed up for WolfPack Alerts from Madison College? These alerts notify you of school cancellations or about emergencies on or near campus. If not, please do so on our webpage. Registration is free, easy and takes about a minute on your mobile device. In addition to our Facebook page, we have a Twitter account! Be sure to follow @ PublicSafetyMC to stay informed of what’s happening on your campus.