(UPI) -- Americans joined forces today in an effort to clean the earth and the air around it.
There were demonstrations bizarre and pragmatic, teach-ins, teach-outs, parades, lectures. speeches, music, litter 'pickups and even official action.
The idea of it all is that pollution of the air, land and water must cease if humanity is to survive.
Chicago Mayor Richard J. Daley officially declared today "Earth Day" in Chicago.
Jersey Gov. William T. Cahill was to sign a bill creating environmental protection department in the state department.
New York Gov. Nelson | Rockefeller officially established a New York Environment Department.
Illinois Lt. Gov. Paul Simon proposed that the state set an environmental institute at a major public university.
High school children in Cape Girardeau, Mo. were on highways picking up litter tossed from passing cars. Others were busy with similar tasks across the land.
Students in Los Angeles hung black balloons from archways marking sites of environment seminars and teach-ins. Groups in other areas planned to confront suspected polluters with dead fish and other tokens of disturbed ecology.
'Funeral marches' for the living and the yet unborn were on the agenda.
The White House said Tuesday President Nixon welcomed the day's events and "feels the activities show the concerns of people of all walks of life over the dangers to our government."
Skywriting planes were to inscribe the word "air" in the atmosphere over Los Angeles. Ohio State University students planned a guided walk along the Olentangy River. Ashtabula, Ohio, residents were set for the "premature funeral for the children of tomorrow," to dramatize the unborn children who will die from pollution.
Southeast Missouri State students planned a mock funeral to "symbolically bury the under under a pile of trash." Miami citizens scheduled a " dead orange parade" with a prize for the "most polluted float."
The Michigan House approved by a 98-3 vote a bill which would give private citizens the unprecedented right to take legal action against Polluters.
Transportation Secretary John A. Volpe said "freeways that adversely affect our environment cannot be built."
Interior Secretary Walter J. Hickel, testifying before the Senate subcommittee on air pollution, said only the Great Salt Lake would remain uncovered bv President Nixon's antipollution plans.
Chicago's Commonwealth Edison Co., a target of local pollution fighters, announced Tuesday it has formed an environmental advisory council, composed of doctors, educators and scientists.
Seven-thousand persons jammed a "declaration of independence" rally Tuesday at Philadelphia's Independence Hall.
Dartmouth College announced it will add an environmental studies program to its curriculum next fall.
Students at nearly every college and high school in Nebraska planned to participate -- many by wearing gas masks. By Tuesday the omaha gas mask supply was gone.
