New Yorkers to commemorate Earth Day (2)

New York has a history of going all out to celebrate their appreciation for Mother Earth.

On April 23, 1970, a New York Times article described, "huge, light-hearted throngs" ambling down autoless streets "as the city heeded Earth Day's call for a regeneration of a polluted environment by celebrating an exuberant rite of spring.

For two hours, except for crosstown traffic, the internal- combustion engine was barred from Fifth Avenue between 59th and 14th Streets.

In addition to shutting down Fifth Avenue, then-New York Mayor John Lindsay made Central Park available for Earth Day. The crowd was estimated as more than one million -- by far the largest in the nation.

Earth Day was first realized in 1970 by Wisconsin Senator Gaylord Nelson, who wanted to increase environmental awareness. Now, more than one billion people in 190 countries are expected to attend related events.

Source:Xinhua
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