Donna Acerra, who is Northampton Community College Professor of Communications and Curator for the National Museum of Industrial History, was joined by Deirdre Hannan in presented a riveting rendering of the history of Earth Day at The Barnette Education Center at the National Museum of Industrial History as part of the museum’s Earth Day celebration.

“Earth Day. It all started with roadside litter,” said Acerra. The holiday began April 22, 1970, when twenty million Americans demonstrate against the environmental and health impacts of over a century of industrial development,

The Earth Day movement was the first outward recognition of individuals and the community that there was immense waste created by single use containers- plastics, and no idea what to do with them. This societal movement inspired OSHA, the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, Environmental Education Act, and a new way of thinking about what we are producing, using, and ultimately disposing of. Plastic manufacturers increasing production used advertising to put the responsibility of disposal on the consumer rather than the manufacturers.

Acerra said this was “Greenwashing.” Advertising convinced the public that plastics were the problem – and a problem for the consumer to bear. The first anti-littering campaign was in 1961. Early television stations would produce Public Service Announcements that were popular ways to promote new public programs. Slogans such as, “Every Litter bit hurts” and, “Keep America Beautiful” made it seem un-American to litter. “Susan Spotless” became the anti-litter bug, protecting society from debris.

Today, even though we seem to have made progress with air and water pollution, no one foresaw the environmental impacts of plastics and computer technology.

In conjunction with Earth Day the NMIH has a new feature display called “New and Improved” This display shows rooms furnished with styles and technology from the 40s, 50s, 60s and 70s. These rooms show the addition and changes of technology through the years. Televisions with antenna and channel dials, telephones with a cord and a rotary dial, metal kitchen cabinets, appliances with cords, shag carpets. Sponsored by Service Electric.

Acerra concluded, “Earth Day. It continues with roadside litter – and more.”