Narrator: (https://www.rev.com/transcript-editor/Edit?token=gWljQa7gMC2PJ0a3ZIFZowzo9bjyHGBZnCpyN7bH6KEEUPI96D7YabaiTjkC051jyXdPVUvA7ncItHVR8oOmCo7RZqEandloadFrom=PastedDeeplinkandts=0.1 (00:00)) welcome to A breath of fresh earth, taking the commitment to a clean environment to the next level. Your host, Rick Friedman, will crown the climate hero and villain of the week, along with discussing worldwide environmental issues, showcasing new products designed with the longevity of our planet in mind, and putting the spotlight on the individuals making a big impact in helping the climate and policing crisis through social media. Now, your host, Rick Friedman, Rick: (https://www.rev.com/transcript-editor/Edit?token=gWljQa7gMC2PJ0a3ZIFZowzo9bjyHGBZnCpyN7bH6KEEUPI96D7YabaiTjkC051jyXdPVUvA7ncItHVR8oOmCo7RZqEandloadFrom=PastedDeeplinkandts=38.43 (00:38)) April 22nd, 2020 will mark the 50 year anniversary of the first earth day. The theme for earth day 20 20th climate action covid- 19 ruined all the in-person festivities for earth day, but you can still contribute by going to earth day.org on April 22nd for 24 hours of action with Earthrise. Every hour on the hour, you'll find suggestions to support a cleaner planet. The first earth day was a unified response to oil spills, smog, and rivers so polluted. They literally caught fire. That happened to the Cuyahoga river in my hometown, Cleveland, Ohio. Rick: (https://www.rev.com/transcript-editor/Edit?token=gWljQa7gMC2PJ0a3ZIFZowzo9bjyHGBZnCpyN7bH6KEEUPI96D7YabaiTjkC051jyXdPVUvA7ncItHVR8oOmCo7RZqEandloadFrom=PastedDeeplinkandts=71.88 (01:11)) In 2016 the United nations chose earth day as the day when the countries signed the Paris agreement on climate change. The founder of earth day was a man named Gaylord Nelson, a Republican Senator from Wisconsin. In 1969 he witnessed the remains of a massive oil spill in California that got him thinking about how he could tap into the power of the antiwar protests and bring that to environmental action. It worked. Nelson received the presidential medal of freedom award in 1995 as a tribute for his efforts. Another Republican Congressman, Pete McCloskey, convinced the 25 year old man named Dennis Hayes from Harvard to run the first earth day after the success of the first earth day. Hayes founded earth day network and helped expand the earth day network to more than 180 countries and was named hero of the planet by time magazine. In 1999 the founders chose April 22nd for earth day because it fell between spring break and final exams for college students. Rick: (https://www.rev.com/transcript-editor/Edit?token=gWljQa7gMC2PJ0a3ZIFZowzo9bjyHGBZnCpyN7bH6KEEUPI96D7YabaiTjkC051jyXdPVUvA7ncItHVR8oOmCo7RZqEandloadFrom=PastedDeeplinkandts=127.17 (02:07)) 20 million Americans participated in that first earth day. 20 million people. Very tremendous success. The biggest crowds ever. Sorry, I couldn't resist poking fun of he who shall not be named. The first earth day led to the creation of the United States environmental protection agency in the passage of the clean air, clean water and endangered species act. That was a pretty good year for the planet. What's so odd about the first earth day is that it received support from Republicans and Democrats. So what happened to the GOP? Why do they treat climate change like it doesn't exist? Money, money from donors urging them to stay the course to keep oil and gas, profits high, no matter the cost to the planet or our health. Everybody's talking about washing your hands. Ignaz Semmelweis was born in 1818 and died in 1865 was a doctor in Vienna in the 18 hundreds he wondered why many women were dying of child bed fever after 1823 the mortality rate at the hospital that he worked at was as high as 9.2% and higher for women of poverty, illegitimacy and other complications. Rick:... Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/a-breath-of-fresh-earth/donations Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy