The Wisconsin Idea
Make Everyday Earth day
In honor of Earth Day, over 160 students volunteered to help plant trees beside Memorial Library and on Library Mall. Photo: University Communications
Earth day, now celebrated throughout the world, was originally founded in Wisconsin by Gaylord Nelson in 1970. Today, the Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies at the UW–Madison continues to carry on Nelson’s legacy through environmentfocused research, their nine degree and certificate programs, and active student organizations. By encouraging interdisciplinary collaboration across the UW–Madison campus, the Nelson Institute is able to improve the quality of life and the environment in Wisconsin and around the world.
In celebration of Earth Day, the Nelson Institute hosts an annual Earth Day Conference in April; it is among the nation’s largest Earth Day celebrations. This year guest lecturers include environmental advocate Robert F. Kennedy Jr., author Margaret Atwood, and S.C. Johnson Chair and CEO H. Fisk Johnson. For more information visit the Nelson Institute Web site.