Let's reclaim Earth Day from greenwash! In 1970 the first Earth Day took place with an estimated 20 million Americans participating in rallies, marches, and teach-ins responding to toxic pollution of their air, waters and land by corporations pursuing profit in the absence of environmental regulation. Then, as now, the worst exposed to these hazards were working class and non-white Americans. The largest source of funding for the first Earth Day was organised labour, in particular from the United Auto Workers (UAW) which also provided practical support for printing and telephone communications. The national organiser for Earth Day later said "Without the UAW, the first Earth Day would have likely flopped."
