15 Facts About Environmental Action

Environmental Action is a 501 non-profit environmental advocacy organization in the United States.

Environmental Action developed the original "Dirty Dozen", a list of members of Congress with poor records on environmental issues.

Environmental Action, previously known as Environmental Teach-In, was launched on April 21,1970, the day before the first Earth Day.

Environmental Action lobbied Congress and was not tax-deductible, and because its paid membership peaked at only 22,000 in 1979, it continually operated over its 26-year lifetime on a bare-bones budget.

In 1975, Environmental Action revealed that the utility industry had collected more than $1 billion in "phantom taxes" that had not actually been paid to the federal government.

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In 1984 Environmental Action revealed that EEI had unlawfully skimmed from utilities' dues $15 million that should have gone to the non-political Electric Power Research Institute.

In 1978, in order to pressure the president to act, Environmental Action organized the "Cans to Carter" campaign, resulting in the postal delivery of an avalanche of 50,000 empty soda and beer cans—complete with educational wrappers and a US postage stamp—from around the country to the White House mail room.

Environmental Action sought to reduce all forms of over-packaging and solid waste, and it played a role in the enactment of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976.

Environmental Action was one of the few environmental groups to speak out on the issue of occupational health and safety.

Soon thereafter, Environmental Action promoted a student–environmentalist alliance in support of the United Auto Workers' strike against General Motors.

Environmental Action worked closely with the United Steelworkers of America in lobbying for the Clean Air Act and with the Sheet Metal Workers of America to push for the expansion of solar power.

Two years later, Environmental Action staff helped create a new organization, Environmentalists for Full Employment, to undertake research and advocacy into the many ways that pollution control can provide good jobs.

Environmental Action prided itself on challenging the motives and methods of corporations and politicians; in the early years, its most popular column was "Debunking Madison Avenue, " which exposed fraudulent and misleading advertisements.

Environmental Action published several specialized newsletters on individual topics, including The Concrete Opposition, Garbage Guide, Power Line, Exposure, and Waterways.

Environmental Action served as a linchpin between the pro-nature conservation community and the pro-public-health, pro-worker, corporate reform community.