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https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Northwestern_University_Evanston_campus.jpg 

Project Survival, the first national environmental-awareness event in the lead up to establishing Earth Day was held at Northwestern University in January of 1970. Tech’s hallways were jammed with thousands of attendants to the event as everyone watched speakers from the subject talk about overpopulation and carbon footprints. Project Survival was an all-day event that set precedents for Earth Day through spreading awareness and establishing the holiday’s anthem.

Project Survival’s scope was determined by Northwestern Students for a Better Environment. The group was started after one meeting discussing the effects of pollutants on Lake Michigan in 1969, and an initiative was created to educate the public on topics and problems with climate change. The group stated that similar movements like Project Survival would sweep across campuses throughout the nation, and it led the precedent for establishing Earth Day.

The event had lasting effects on the development of Earth Day, as well as creating awareness throughout Northwestern’s campus. NSBE would organize “Sunrise ‘78” in 1978, expanding on solar energy and alternative sources of energy to help improve the environment. The organization continued to be involved in Earth Day-related events after Project Survival, including changing its name to Students for Ecological and Environmental Development (SEED) and organizing the Green Cup competition that exists to his day.

SEED was founded on Northwestern’s campus in 1968, and wants to celebrate its 45th anniversary by convincing Northwestern undergraduates that the environment can be tied to the types of social justice issues students tend to be more passionate about. SEED’s co-presidents Chelsea Corbin and Mark Silberg want the club to respond to the current social climate on campus to make students more passionate about environmental issues.

Biblography:

http://exhibits.library.northwestern.edu/archives/exhibits/survival/Pre-Event_Press_Packet.pdf

http://explore.chicagocollections.org/ead/northwestern/78/0863b6t/

http://www.northwestern.edu/magazine/winter2009/studentlife/projectsurvival.html

http://www.northwestern.edu/onebook/hot-flat-and-crowded/Project-Survival.html

http://www.inournaturemag.com/northwesterns-historical-role-in-the-creation-of-earth-day/

http://dailynorthwestern.com/2013/04/16/campus/new-seed-presidents-turn-toward-the-future/

https://dailynorthwestern.com/2010/04/21/campus/campusarchived/campus-events-promote-sustainability/

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