Earth Day Articles

Events – Articles that mention Earth Day.

An Earth Day letter to you from the daughter of Gaylord Nelson

An Earth Day letter to you from the daughter of Gaylord Nelson

Dear Friends of the Apostle Islands: In 1970, my father Gaylord Nelson was at the heart of two major movements in this country – the founding of Earth Day and the legislative designation of the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore in northern Wisconsin. Both efforts to celebrate and protect the life-sustaining and life-enhancing wonders of our planet were bound by his undying commitment to inclusion. I believe they are connected.Tia and Gaylord Nelson - Ked Martin photoWith Earth Day, dad changed the way all of us view and celebrate the planet we live on. By protecting this soul-stirring...

Protecting the Apostles from plastics one lunch at a time

Protecting the Apostles from plastics one lunch at a time

Sandra Harris just wanted to make her kids a healthy lunch. She may have started a revolution that could change your next trip to the Apostle Islands. Harris, who worked as an investigative journalist, was all-too aware of the worldwide plastic pollution problem and its associated health issues. But from years in the nonprofit world, she knew too that change could happen if people just had the tools to work with. Then, an idea came to her one-day while packing school lunches for her kids.Stainless steel lunch boxes and snack containers - Ecolunchbox photo“I wanted to eliminate plastics from...

An eye for helping: Photographer couple targets Friends with April 22nd fundraiser

An eye for helping: Photographer couple targets Friends with April 22nd fundraiser

From the Galapagos to Africa, from Iceland to Hawaii, the husband-and-wife photography team of Carol and Roy Toepke have an eye for nature and a deep-seated desire to help protect it. This April 22nd, they are targeting the Access for All initiative of Friends with a fundraising effort to help one of their favorite places on earth: the Apostle Islands.Carol and Roy Toepke“We're big fans of the Apostle Islands,” says Carol. “We have explored the lighthouses, ventured out to the mainland and Devils Island sea caves and trekked to the ice caves twice.” And they have captured it all in...

Invest in Our Planet: Earth Day 2022

Invest in Our Planet: Earth Day 2022

The Apostle Islands National Lakeshore will forever share a very special connection with Earth Day — both began in 1970 and both were championed by Wisconsin’s own Gaylord A. Nelson. This year, the theme of Earth Day is “Invest in Our Planet.” Since its inception, Friends of the Apostle Islands has invested in the islands by raising over $500,000 to support the park in our four pillars of Accessibility, Education, Stewardship, and Service.  This Earth Day, we are asking you to “Invest in Our Planet” with a donation to Friends of the Apostle Islands.  Your donation will: Help kids learn to...

Volunteers wanted for Friends Earth Day cleanup

Volunteers wanted for Friends Earth Day cleanup

We’ve all seen it (75% even admit they have caused it): litter along America’s highways and waterways. According to a recent study by the nonprofit America the Beautiful, litter on roadways is actually down 54% since 2009. But that still means there are at least 50 billion pieces of litter out there along our roadways. The news is not much better for our nation’s waterways where the study claims another 24 billion pieces of trash lie uncollected, a slight increase from the 2009 estimate. While there are no similar studies here in the Apostle Islands, any beach comber knows that we are not...

Friends join with Big Top Chautauqua to celebrate Earth Day and the beauty and future of Apostle Islands National Lakeshore

Friends join with Big Top Chautauqua to celebrate Earth Day and the beauty and future of Apostle Islands National Lakeshore

It was a night of music, moving images and intriguing discussions when our friends at Lake Superior Big Top Chautauqua collaborated with the Friends of the Apostle Islands to celebrate the connection between Earth Day and the national lakeshore during a special edition of the Tiny Tent Show on Facebook and YouTube. Of Earth Day and the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, host Michael Perry noted that Wisconsin Governor and Senator Gaylord Nelson was "at the heart of both of these milestones." Michael Perry, Host He asked Friends Executive Director Jeff Rennicke about Nelson's connection to...

Earth Day 2021: Think globally – act locally

Earth Day 2021: Think globally – act locally

Today, we celebrate the 51st annual Earth Day. It's a day devoted to protecting our environment for future generations... a day to think globally and act locally. Earth Day organizers say more than 1 billion people in 192 countries now participate in Earth Day activities each year. Earth Day and the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore share an important connection. Wisconsin Senator and Governor Gaylord Nelson founded Earth Day and played a vital role in establishing the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, 51 years ago. “Our goal is not just an environment of clean air and water and scenic...

Friends teams up with Bigtop Chautauqua to celebrate Earth Day and the Islands

Friends teams up with Bigtop Chautauqua to celebrate Earth Day and the Islands

LIGHTS, CAMERA, CELEBRATE! Big ideas can change the world. In 1970, Gaylord Nelson saw two of his big ideas do just that. On April 22, 1970 Nelson’s dream of a world-wide celebration of the earth blossomed into the first Earth Day, an event that drew over 20 million people in its first year and has grown into a cultural phenomenon that now engages close to a billion people annually in 192 countries across the globe. Then, on September 26, 1970, another of Gaylord Nelson’s ideas became a reality with the creation of the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore. These Islands - Bob Jauch photo...

Celebrating Gaylord Nelson, Earth Day founder and advocate for the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore

Celebrating Gaylord Nelson, Earth Day founder and advocate for the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore

Earth Day 2020 is a perfect opportunity to celebrate the life and accomplishments of Wisconsin Senator and Governor Gaylord Nelson, not only for founding Earth Day but for his vital role in establishing the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, 50 years ago.Senator Gaylord Nelson visiting the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore. National Park Service photos – click to enlarge.In this golden anniversary year, we share this Wisconsin Public Television documentary on Nelson’s legacy of environmental advocacy that lives on today. In this video, you will see some historic moments that led to the...

Earth Day 2020: Persistence pays in protecting Apostle Islands lakeshore

Earth Day 2020: Persistence pays in protecting Apostle Islands lakeshore

(Wisconsin Natural Resources Magazine) Gaylord Nelson had plenty on his plate following his election to the U.S. Senate in 1962, but nothing seemed more of a personal priority to him than bringing his home state's Apostle Islands into the National Park System. "He spent years working to bring national park status to the Apostle Islands," his daughter Tia Nelson says. The senator and former Wisconsin governor had always been a proponent of public lands, but being from Wisconsin's Northwoods made this endeavor particularly meaningful to him. From the start of his time in the Senate – when he...