Harvard Celebrates 25th Earth Day

Harvard professors, Harvard students and members of the Cambridge community rallied in celebration of the twenty-fifth anniversary of Earth Day this weekend.

Warburg Professor of Economics Emeritus John Kenneth Galbraith yesterday spoke against Republican Congress at the First Parish Church at the Cambridge Earth Day Festival.

A dozen environmental organizations, including Earthwatch, the Audabon Society and the Environmental Federation of New England, set up tables in Church Street yesterday.

On Saturday, the Harvard Environmental Action Committee sponsored an Earth Day celebration in the Malkin Athletic Center Quadrangle.

Harvard Dining Services served lunch outside in an environmentally-conscious manner while a band played music.

Yesterday's exhibitors said that although the festival was small, it had important meaning nonetheless.

"It's not like the big one in 1970, or even the one five years ago that woke us up," said Blume Magruder '69, Earthwatch's director of public affairs, whowas at the Earthwatch table.

"But it does bring people together and letsthem see new things," she said.

In addition to the organizations' booths,M.I.T. students displayed the Aztec, asolar-powered car they had built and the CambridgeDepartment of Public Works gave a recyclingdemonstration.

Speakers from Green Corps, Walden Woods, theWilderness Society, the Union of ConcernedScientists and the Harvard Environmental ActionCommittee called for citizens to become moreinvolved in environmental affairs and forpoliticians to protect the environment.

Participants and exhibitors alike said theyenjoyed the festival, if for sometimes-unusualreasons.

For Eric Gravenaard, an M.I.T. junior showingthe Aztec, said the celebration was lucrative aswell as fun.

"We decided to show our car here instead of onthe Esplanade because they let us sell t-shirts,"he said.

In the keynote address, Galbraith, who notedthat he was probably preaching to the converted,said the market system does not take long-termconsiderations into account.

"The market is committed to short-rundecisions," he said. "We cannot expect it to dealwith wetlands and other environmental concerns."

Galbraith said that Republican opposition toenvironmental reforms should be taken for granted.He told the fifty-person audience to write to theMassachusetts Republican representatives who havevoted "against the environment."

"But don't mention your district if you are notfrom their areas," Galbraith said. "They'll worryanyway, as long as they don't get too manyCambridge postmarks."

Galbraith added that environmentalists haveoverlooked the problem of visual pollution andshould try to beautify urban areas.

The audience enjoyed Galbraith's lecture,breaking into frequent spontaneous applause andlaughing at his famously immodest remarks.

Responding to questions from audience members,Galbraith said that people associated with Harvardshould speak up and "make a nuisance" ofthemselves over the environment

"But it does bring people together and letsthem see new things," she said.

In addition to the organizations' booths,M.I.T. students displayed the Aztec, asolar-powered car they had built and the CambridgeDepartment of Public Works gave a recyclingdemonstration.

Speakers from Green Corps, Walden Woods, theWilderness Society, the Union of ConcernedScientists and the Harvard Environmental ActionCommittee called for citizens to become moreinvolved in environmental affairs and forpoliticians to protect the environment.

Participants and exhibitors alike said theyenjoyed the festival, if for sometimes-unusualreasons.

For Eric Gravenaard, an M.I.T. junior showingthe Aztec, said the celebration was lucrative aswell as fun.

"We decided to show our car here instead of onthe Esplanade because they let us sell t-shirts,"he said.

In the keynote address, Galbraith, who notedthat he was probably preaching to the converted,said the market system does not take long-termconsiderations into account.

"The market is committed to short-rundecisions," he said. "We cannot expect it to dealwith wetlands and other environmental concerns."

Galbraith said that Republican opposition toenvironmental reforms should be taken for granted.He told the fifty-person audience to write to theMassachusetts Republican representatives who havevoted "against the environment."

"But don't mention your district if you are notfrom their areas," Galbraith said. "They'll worryanyway, as long as they don't get too manyCambridge postmarks."

Galbraith added that environmentalists haveoverlooked the problem of visual pollution andshould try to beautify urban areas.

The audience enjoyed Galbraith's lecture,breaking into frequent spontaneous applause andlaughing at his famously immodest remarks.

Responding to questions from audience members,Galbraith said that people associated with Harvardshould speak up and "make a nuisance" ofthemselves over the environment