Earth Day across the Commons
Posted by zyrcster in Across The CommonsApril 22 is Earth Day, marking the anniversary of the birth of the modern environmental movement in 1970. Across the Commons, we bring you the beauty of our Earth from times past in hopes of inspiring you to think green for our future.
| We begin at the foot of our planet, with a photograph taken on the first Australasian Antarctic Expedition, 1911-1914, by Frank Hurley. |  State Library of New South Wales |
| From there, it’s a short hop to the Franz Josef Glacier in New Zealand, ca. 1879-1892, photographed by James Ring. |  National Library of New Zealand |
| Journey to the vast continent of Asia in the 1890s. Here is Shiraitono-Taki, near Mount Fuji. |  New York Public Library |
| The sweeping deserts of the Middle East are the next stop — Egypt at the turn of the last century. |  New York Public Library |
| Cool off with a dip in the rapids at Ringerike, Norway, in the 1890s. |  Library of Congress |
| Then, it’s off to the Americas and the splendor of the west, Yosemite Valley. Photographed by Carleton E. Watkins, ca. 1865-66 |  New York Public Library |
We’re unable to bring you images of South America, so a challenge to all our Commons institutions: Please, upload some stunners of the Galapagos, Brazil, the Dutch Antilles or Suriname, French Guyana, Bolivia, the Andes, Chile and the Patagonias — one of you needs to represent!
In the DC area? Check out the Smithsonian’s Earth Day events.
Tags: Earth day, National Library of New Zealand, New York Public Library, State Library of New South Wales