Earth Day was a panic promotion scheme that started in 1970 by hippies. Yeah man, 1970. That’s 45 years ago.
45 years ago!
For those 45 years, every year we’ve had to endure the near fever pitch wailing of the sooth-sayers of doom. But what did they say 45 years ago, and how accurate were their dire predictions.
Here’s what just a few of the scare-mongers were saying back in 1970 and we do some fact checking to see if what they promised came true.
“We have about five more years at the outside to do something.” > Kenneth Watt, ecologist.
Fact Check: So, the world would end in 1975. It didn’t.
“Civilization will end within 15 or 30 years unless immediate action is taken against problems facing mankind.” > George Wald, Harvard Biologist.
Fact Check: So, the world would end in 1985 or maybe 2000. It didn’t. Honest, it just didn’t.
“Population will inevitably and completely outstrip whatever small increases in food supplies we make. The death rate will increase until at least 100-200 million people per year will be starving to death during the next ten years.” > Paul Ehrlich, Stanford University biologist.
Fact Check: From 1970 to 1980 and beyond that decade, there doesn’t seem to be any record of 100 million people, a 70th of the global population, starving to death each year.
“By…[1975] some experts feel that food shortages will have escalated the present level of world hunger and starvation into famines of unbelievable proportions. Other experts, more optimistic, think the ultimate food-population collision will not occur until the decade of the 1980s.” > Paul Ehrlich, Stanford University biologist.
Fact Check: There are no famines of unbelievable portions, and there were none 35 years ago when this lie was projected to become true.
“It is already too late to avoid mass starvation.” > Denis Hayes, chief organizer for Earth Day.
Fact Check: It obviously wasn’t too late, as there was never a mass starvation.
“Demographers agree almost unanimously on the following grim timetable: by 1975 widespread famines will begin in India; these will spread by 1990 to include all of India, Pakistan, China and the Near East, Africa. By the year 2000, or conceivably sooner, South and Central America will exist under famine conditions….By the year 2000, thirty years from now, the entire world, with the exception of Western Europe, North America, and Australia, will be in famine.” > Peter Gunter, professor, North Texas State University.
Fact Check: The entire world is not in famine and doesn’t appear to be getting any closer to famine. This prediction was incorrect. Very very incorrect.
“Scientists have solid experimental and theoretical evidence to support…the following predictions: In a decade, urban dwellers will have to wear gas masks to survive air pollution…by 1985 air pollution will have reduced the amount of sunlight reaching earth by one half….” > Life Magazine, January 1970.
Fact Check: Nope, not even slightly.
“By the year 2000, if present trends continue, we will be using up crude oil at such a rate…that there won’t be any more crude oil. You’ll drive up to the pump and say, `Fill ‘er up, buddy,’ and he’ll say, `I am very sorry, there isn’t any.’” > Kenneth Watt, Ecologist.
Fact Check: There’s plenty in the pumps and it is very cheap right now.
“Dr. S. Dillon Ripley, secretary of the Smithsonian Institute, believes that in 25 years, somewhere between 75 and 80 percent of all the species of living animals will be extinct.” > Senator Gaylord Nelson.
Fact Check: No, no, no, no, no. It just didn’t happen, and isn’t happening.
“The world has been chilling sharply for about twenty years. If present trends continue, the world will be about four degrees colder for the global mean temperature in 1990, but eleven degrees colder in the year 2000. This is about twice what it would take to put us into an ice age.” > Kenneth Watt, Ecologist.
Fact Check: Sigh! When we failed to freeze to death, they replaced that meme with the one about ‘Global Warming’. That didn’t happen either, did it?!
Do these people ever apologise for their misleading and bogus predictions of doom and gloom that scare the shite out of ordinary people?
Fact Check: Never.
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