What follows Earth Day 1990?

Earth Day 1990 was a huge success worldwide. Two hundred million people in more than 140 countries united with common concern for a healthier environment. Together, we brought a powerful message to policymakers and corporate leaders — we will no longer stand by and watch them bow to corporate interests at the expense of the Earth.

From a glacier in the French Alps to an island made of garbage in Tokyo Bay, 200 million people gathered to show their concern for the state of the environment. More than 1 million New Yorkers listened to speakers and music in Central Park, while demonstrators in white death masks and black shrouds held a “requiem for the Earth” at the gates of a nuclear weapons plant in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. Here in the Bay Area, hundreds of thousands of people participated in activities ranging from the huge eco-fair at Crissy Field in San Francisco to a release of 200,000 ladybugs by elementary school students in Vacaville.

But the most appropriate Earth Day celebration may have been held in Tucson, Arizona, where a “What Can I Do on Monday?” workshop taught practical ways to make the message of Earth Day last beyond April 22. After all, 24 hours of intensive care is not nearly enough for the environment. We must continue to treat every day as if it were Earth Day.

So, organizers of Earth Day 1990 have founded Bay Area Action (BAA) — a grassroots network of citizens and groups dedicated to the natural environment of the San Francisco Bay Area. BAA initiates preserving and improving the programs and events, educates and empowers individuals, and lends support to other groups so that, as a community, we may better address local and regional environmental issues. A non-violent, direct action organization, BAA works to bring environmental issues beyond discussion into positive change. Our vision is for each individual to become an informed, participating citizen. Our office acts as an information center, offering a bimonthly newsletter, action alerts, guest speakers, television and radio broadcasts, and a book and video library. We research and assist Bay Area groups working for change, and provide individuals with opportunities to participate in positive actions.

In this, our first newsletter, you will find information on local environmental groups, upcoming events, books to read, and much more. Please take a few minutes to read it and find out what you can do to help the Bay Area environment now that Earth Day has passed. Then, write or call us with your questions, ideas, or concerns. And if you are interested in becoming a part of BAA, see page 7 for information on subscribing to this newsletter. We need your input and support to make BAA an effective force in the Bay Area.

Remember: together, we can save the world. We’ll do it one bay at a time.

– The BAA volunteer staff

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Published in Action, vol 1, no 1 · Jul–Aug 1990