Millions rally on Earth Day But big polluters still thrive Pro-choice supporters mobilize at L.A. clinic

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TIL The largest labor organization in the United States may soon deliver a potent answer to the right-wing demonstration of 200,000 held April 29 in Washington, D.C., which called for the government to outlaw Lane Kirkland, president of the national AFL-CIO, announced after the labor federation's last executive board meeting that the body would soon adopt a position on the issue of reproductive rights. He appointed a committee to make a recommendation to the board.

This committee-headed by William Wynn, president of the United Food and Commercial Workers Union-has already been barraged with letters from anti-choice groups urging the federation to take no position, according to Kathy Parrent, Reprotres love Organizers estimated that 200 million people in 136 countries took part in Earth Day activities.

In the United States, thousands of cities and towns held events. The largest gathering was in New York's Central Park, where over 1 million people came out. Close to 125,000 rallied on the Mall in Washington, Which way forward for environmental activists?

See pp. 12-13.

D.C. Another 125,000 attended rally and exhibition in San Francisco.

People have been alarmed by a string of headline-grabbing environmental catastrophes, such as the Valdez oil spill of last spring. At the same time, the ever-present stench of daily life-smoggy cities, dying lakes and streams, and garbage-filled beaches —has also convinced millions that pollution and the rape of our resources is on the rise.

In a recent nationwide Washington Post/ ABC News survey, more than half of those polled agreed that the world faces "an environmental crisis." This fact, which is also reflected by a rise in membership among environmental activist groups, shows the potential for building a mass movement of people who want to do whatever is necessary to see that the earth is cleaned up and restored.

Unfortunately, the major environmental groups have become bogged down by a faulty strategy. These organizations prefer to concentrate either on political lobbying and vote-getting, mass-media campaigning, or appeals to consumers to alter their personal lifestyles.

Left out of of this strategy, however, are demands that can rally and organize people against the main polluters—big business and the government.

The Washington Post survey indicated that 44 percent of Americans realize that large corporations are most to blame for endangering the environment. But this growing awareness was largely ignored by organizers of the major Earth Day events.

"Change your lifestyle?"

"The very core of the Earth Day message," counsels Christina L. Desser, executive director of Earth Day 1990, "is for individuals to bring about change through their voting, purchasing, and personal conduct at home and at work." (letter to the San Francisco Chronicle, April 27, 1990)

How are people to make changes in their "conduct?" In anticipation of Earth Day, numerous organizations and companies published "green" handbooks to guide the consumer. "Study and work by daylight," advises one pamphlet in all seriousness. "Avoid impulse buying," cautions another.

The cumulative effects of many individual solutions, such as recycling, are indis(continued on page 2, in “Ryan White—one of 78,341”)

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