Bay Area Earth Day 1991

Theme

Working Earth Day

Summary

While Earth Day 1990 focused primarily on individual action and responsibility, 1991 focused on collective action. The idea was to promote institu­tional responsibility and environ­mental justice. “Each one of us belongs to something — a school, workplace, or congregation,” wrote Own Byrd in the Jan–Feb Action newsletter. “As members of these institutions we can make a difference in how they treat people and the Earth. And we can make a greater difference, more quickly, if we work together. Then we can all be, as BAA’s slogan says,‘people for the environment.‘”

April 22, Earth Day 1991, was a Monday — a work day.

Programs

The following organizing packets were available from BAA for $5 each:

• Earth Teams Organizing Kit — Materials help people organize in groups of 6 to 12 people to make their lives more environmentally sound while learning about environmental issues. The kit can be used by reli­ gious committees, neighborhood groups, or simply with friends.
• Workplace Environmental Organizer — Provided employees with materials focusing on recycling, energy and water conservation, alterna­tive transportation, and toxics reduction. A computer program was planned containing information on recycling and waste reduction for business.
• High School Environmental Organizer — Materials to help high school students organize environmental clubs and projects. Projects included set­ting up recycling programs, encouraging the use of recycled paper, orga­nizing letter-writing tables, promoting greater environmental awareness, and networking with other high school activists.

Events

There was no official large-scale Earth Day event in 1991. Members of Bay Area Action held an Earth Day sunrise ceremony in the Palo Alto foothills.

Bond act

On Earth Day 1991, California Governor Pete Wilson proposed a $628 million bond measure to fund the purchase of old-growth redwood forests and other lands threatened by deforestation and development. The initiative aimed to protect critical environmental areas, including forests and wetlands, and was planned for inclusion on the June 1992 ballot. It was widely welcomed by the environmental community including BAA.

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