Father of Earth Day Speaks at KSG

Twenty-seven years after he co-founded Earth Day, Wisconsin Secretary of State Douglas LaFollette came to speak at the Kennedy School of Government in honor of Earth Week.

Before a crowd of approximately 40 people, LaFollette discussed both the political and economic challenges environmentalists have faced in the decades since the first Earth Day and common goals that must be universally shared to produce future reforms.

He said that Americans will have no choice but to confront the issue of the environment to a greater extent when the conditions they are faced with become intolerable.

"When [the smoke] gets thick enough that you can taste it, in American democracy things are going to change," he said.

Although politicians began superficially embracing environmentalism in the early 1960s, making it"...part of every stump speech to 'protect our environment,'" they were simultaneously selling out to lobbyists, according to LaFollette.

The result was that many environmental activists were left without a proper outlet for their concerns.

LaFollette said that others failed to grasp the most crucial issues underlying pollution and energy crises.

"There were much more subtle problems that needed to be dealt with," said LaFollette, listing carbon monoxide emissions, acid rain and soil erosion as several of the more elusive problems that plagued environmental organizers.

When environmentalists decided to finally tackle these issues in the late 1980s, LaFollette said they were labelled as radicals by conservatives who feared that their goals were not only unrealistic but would also jeopardize the country's economic wellbeing.

"It was an orchestrated campaign by big business to set up and organize misinformation," LaFollette said.

Those who wished to undermine the cause of environmentalists purposely painted an unflattering portrait of them as hippies who were completely out of touch with the real world, he said.

LaFollette cited the comment by Sen. Don Young (R-Alaska) that environmentalists were a "A bunch of waffle stomping, Harvard graduating, intellectual idiots," as a prime exam- the insults activists had to deal with

However, LaFollette suggested that in response to such blatant activist bashing, environmentalists should turn the tables on right wing politicians.

"We are the real conservatives," he said. "We want to conserve the air and the water. Let's turn things around and paint the anti-environmentalists as the radicals."

LaFollette strongly encouraged people to do what they felt is better in the long run for the environment instead of allowing big businesses that are guided by self-interest to lead them astray.

"What was suggested was a need to focus on a change in public attitudes," said Elizabeth L. Kanter '99, co-chair of the Environmental Action Committee which co-spon-sored the speech with the Institute of Politics.

"You need to get to the root of the problem, which is in people's lives," Kanter said. "Mind-set is at the root of it all."

Getting people into an environmentally conscious mind-set is exactly next week's Earth Week activities hope to accomplish.

Starting with a celebration in Winthrop Junior Common Room at 12 p.m. today, activities will continue throughout the week to encourage political activism and advocacy for environmental issues.

Those who will participate in Earth Week said that LaFollette's speech was a delightful way to kick-off the event.

"It's a great start to Earth Week," said Rafel Muilenburg, president of the Environmental Law Society at Harvard Law School

However, LaFollette suggested that in response to such blatant activist bashing, environmentalists should turn the tables on right wing politicians.

"We are the real conservatives," he said. "We want to conserve the air and the water. Let's turn things around and paint the anti-environmentalists as the radicals."

LaFollette strongly encouraged people to do what they felt is better in the long run for the environment instead of allowing big businesses that are guided by self-interest to lead them astray.

"What was suggested was a need to focus on a change in public attitudes," said Elizabeth L. Kanter '99, co-chair of the Environmental Action Committee which co-spon-sored the speech with the Institute of Politics.

"You need to get to the root of the problem, which is in people's lives," Kanter said. "Mind-set is at the root of it all."

Getting people into an environmentally conscious mind-set is exactly next week's Earth Week activities hope to accomplish.

Starting with a celebration in Winthrop Junior Common Room at 12 p.m. today, activities will continue throughout the week to encourage political activism and advocacy for environmental issues.

Those who will participate in Earth Week said that LaFollette's speech was a delightful way to kick-off the event.

"It's a great start to Earth Week," said Rafel Muilenburg, president of the Environmental Law Society at Harvard Law School