I started kindergarten in 1970. The “Crying Indian” public service announcement, “Keep America Beautiful” and Earth Day were all part of my early life experience. An Outward Bound course a few years after college moved me more toward the Earthy-Crunchy, Greenpeace-loving, environmentalist end of the spectrum.
My heros include:
Aldo Leopold - https://www.aldoleopold.org/about/aldo-leopold/
Sigurd Olson - http://listeningpointfoundation.org/sig-olson/
Bob Marshall - https://www.wilderness.net/nwps/Marshall
and, of course, John Muir - https://vault.sierraclub.org/john_mu...biography.aspx
While their lives are too giant to aspire to emulate, they still stand as examples of the difference one man can make.
Many hikers already consider themselves tree-hugging, environmentalist but, like going to church on Christmas, Earth Day is an excuse to "up your game" if only temporarily.
Small measures matter and it's OK to start early. It's also OK think BIG! (See Aldo Leopold, Sigurd Olson, Bob Marshal...)
Happy Earth Day week!