​​Earth Day 1970 in New York, N.Y. Santi Visalli—Getty Images

Earth Day was the apex of a movement jump started by the famous 1968 photograph taken by Astronaut Bill Anders on Christmas Eve from Apollo 8. Titled “Earth rise” it focused attention on the small planet we depend on in a manner never  seen before. Others like Denis Hayes began looking at our planet in a different way too. 
 
Denis Hayes grew up in Camas during the time when there were no limitations on how land, water and air were used. This childhood led to Denis’ work in becoming the National Director of the first Earth Day in 1970. Using Pre-Internet grassroots efforts, the first Earth Day quickly became a seismic change in the world.  20 million people, 10% of the country’s population, left their homes in cities and towns around the country demonstrating for clean air, land and water. Earth Day went on to become a continuing worldwide event. 
 
Each year Earth Day brings focus to the global and local issues of what Native peoples already knew: we must become better guardians of our resources, and recognize that our very survival depends upon this. Camas is central to this story.
 

Denis Hayes remains active in Camas today. Click the file below to see his message to the Director of Ecology about the Camas Mill property