MADISON, Wis. (WRN) — Earth Day’s origins are here in Wisconsin.
The University of Wisconsin’s Nelson Institute draws its name and inspiration from Gaylord Nelson, who helped make environmental protection a national priority. Born in 1916 in the northern Wisconsin village of Clear Lake, Nelson graduated UW Law School and served in the U.S. Navy in World War II before a political career which included the Wisconsin state Senate, one term as governor, and the U.S. Senate from 1963 to 1981.
In Washington, he became a leading environmentalist and founded Earth Day in 1970 to draw attention to air and water pollution. Nelson was instrumental in saving Wisconsin’s St. Croix and Namekagon Rivers from development and he popularized the idea that the economy is a wholly owned subsidiary of the environment.