In September 1969 at a conference in Seattle , Washington , U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson of Wisconsin announced a nationwide grassroots demonstration on the environment. This occurred during a time of great concern about overpopulation and when there was a strong movement towards "Zero Population Growth." Senator Nelson first proposed the nationwide environmental protest to thrust the environment onto the national agenda of USA .

In April 22, 1970, the first Earth Day marked the beginning of the modern environmental movement in which approximately 20 million Americans participated, with a goal of a healthy and sustainable environment. Further, mobilizing 200 million people in 141 countries and lifting the status of environmental issues onto the world stage, Earth Day on April 22 in 1990 gave a huge boost to recycling efforts worldwide and helped pave the way for the 1992 United Nations Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro .

As the millennium approached, Hayes agreed to spearhead another campaign, this time focused on global warming and a push for clean energy. The April 22 Earth Day in 2000 combined the big-picture feistiness of the first Earth Day with the international grassroots activism of Earth Day 1990. Earth Day 2000 sent the message loud and clear that citizens the world 'round wanted quick and decisive action on clean energy. Earth Day 2007 was one of the largest Earth Days to date, with an estimated billion people participating in the activities in thousands of places like Kiev, Ukraine; Caracas, Venezuela; Tuvalu; Manila, Philippines; Togo; Madrid, Spain; London; and New York.

Earth Day International Network connect change in local, national, and global policies. It reaches over 17,000 organizations in 174 countries, while the domestic program engages 5,000 groups and over 25,000 educators coordinating millions of community development and environmental protection activities throughout the year. Earth Day is the only event celebrated simultaneously around the globe by people of all backgrounds, faiths and nationalities. More than a half billion people participate in Earth Day Network campaigns every year.

In order for us as one human family to effectively assume our new role as the custodians of Earth, and as people who care about Earth's future, we will strive to act in accordance with the following principles and guidelines.

We are the first generation to determine the life or death of the planet we have inherited. The care of Earth is now our most important task.

The Earth Charter defines our new role and responsibility and strengthens our efforts. It inspires unity and cooperation in our task so that we may preserve, restore and increase Earth's beauty and bounty for our own and future generations. People of all ideologies and religions can, and must, unite in pursuing this vital purpose.

A massive communications effort is needed to publicize every program or product that improves the care of Earth. We must no longer condemn others, but each seeks what we can honestly praise. In this way we can obtain public support and enthusiasm for Earth care action and motivate people everywhere to practice Earth care.

We believe that a vigorous united effort to understand, protect and revive our planet will at the same time promote mutual trust and accommodations needed for creating a peaceful future. The signers urge individuals and communities throughout the world to endorse and ratify this Earth Charter. Together we can save our planet.

For the whole charter please log on to http://www.earthsite.org/EarthCharter.htm

  Environmental concerns must be included in the political agenda of all national political parties

  Right to participation of commons should be enacted legally in all developmental issues and decisions to ensure sustainability. Access to global environmental network for information dissemination should be made free for the commons.

  Poverty alleviation must be aligned with conservation effort and stakeholders of nature must be compensated of their opportunity cost for conservation of the same

  Threats of climate change is a global concern and global partnership to combat such changes and rescue the environmental refugees must be assured through international convention on climate change

  Health sanitation education and social security are integral parts of environmental prosperity. Environment shouldn't be regarded as an issue rather it should be considered as a component of right to survival.