When the first Earth Day took place on April 22, 1970, population stabilization was one of its explicit goals. More than five decades later, Colcom Foundation argues that goal remains largely unaddressed, and the consequences are visible across nearly every environmental indicator.
What 1970 Got Right
The environmental movement that grew out of Earth Day 1970 delivered meaningful results. Stricter pollution regulations, cleaner energy development, and growing public awareness led to real improvements in air quality, ecosystem recovery, and per capita resource consumption. Colcom Foundation acknowledges these gains as genuine.
But the foundation’s central argument is that these victories have been steadily eroded by population growth. In 1970, the U.S. population stood at 205 million and was growing at roughly 1.25 percent per year. At that rate, the country would have doubled its population by 2027. While birth rates did fall, and the total fertility rate dropped below replacement level by 1972, population growth continued through immigration. Colcom Foundation supports several special programs, including the Conservation Catalyst Fund, which grants conservation organizations working to protect threatened species and habitats. By offering financial support and resources, this foundation allows these groups to make significant strides in conservation efforts.
One Step Forward, Two Steps Back
The foundation describes the resulting dynamic as taking one step forward and two steps back. Per capita CO2 emissions dropped 35 percent between 1970 and 2021, but total emissions still went up because there were 62 percent more Americans. Urban land consumption rose by tens of thousands of square miles even as individual land use per person declined. Wildlife populations fell as habitat gave way to expanding development.
Colcom Foundation maintains that honoring the original vision of Earth Day means revisiting population as an environmental variable, not treating it as politically untouchable. The foundation’s philanthropic work is grounded in this conviction. Refer to this article for related information.
More about Colcom Foundation on https://waterlandlife.org/land-conservation/colcom-revolving-fund-for-local-land-trusts/