Happy Earth Day: A History Of What Conservative Leadership Has Done To Care For Our Planet

Today, we celebrate Earth Day and this beautiful planet we are blessed to call our home. For far too long in American politics, The Left has dominated the conversation of our environment and the conservation of our planet. I bet you don’t know just how significant conservative leadership has been and continues to be in our nation as we care for our great outdoors.

The truth is, conservative political leaders and presidents have consistently been the strongest voices for land conservation at the federal level.

Although the the Left refuses to acknowledge the positive contributions conservatism has brought to the environmental movement, Turning Point USA has been raising awareness for free market solutions to environmental issues though our on-campus activism, video productions, and store! At the end of this article, I highlight some of my favorite pieces from our CONSERVE-ATIVE collection!

Did you know it was conservatives who pioneered the concept of public lands in the United States? SHOCKING, I know.

In 1864, conservative President Abraham Lincoln created the Yosemite Grant Act to protect land in the Yosemite Valley. This was the first time EVER that our government set aside land specifically for public use, sparking a movement that would eventually lead to the creation of our National Forests, National Park Service, and wilderness areas in the United States.

In 1872, conservative President Ulysses S. Grant carried the torch of land conservation forward by signing the Yellowstone National Park Protection Act into law. This legislation effectively established the first national park, Yellowstone National Park.

In 1906, conservative President Theodore Roosevelt, who was perhaps the most ardent supporter of our great outdoors in Presidential history, signed the Antiquities Act into law. This bill specifically gave power to the President and the Executive Branch to establish national monuments. Soon after, he declared Devil’s Tower in Wyoming to be the first national monument and laid the foundation for the National Park Service to be established just a few years later.

In 1970, yet another conservative President, Richard Nixon, led the charge to establish the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). President Nixon’s intention was to improve the quality of water and air nationwide.

Last year, in 2020, conservative leadership led the charge for land conservation AGAIN with the drafting and passage of the Great American Outdoors Act, written by Senator Cory Gardner (CO-R) and later championed by President Donald Trump. According to the National Park Service, this bill “enable[s] national parks and other federal lands to repair and upgrade vital infrastructure and facilities that will enrich the visitor experience, protect resources, and enable increased access for all visitors.” Talk about being a conserve-ative!

Today, the big push for environmentalism is largely centered around development of green and renewable energy sources, which is championed by conservatives too–getting the government out of the way and allowing for the market to thrive is precisely what drives innovation, improvement of technology, and more accessible pricing for the next big thing in energy.

Stop believing the lies of The Left that conservatives hate mother nature–and enjoy celebrating this beautiful place we call home today on Earth Day!

Turning Point USA has launched a full line of merch for Conservatives who want to show their love for the earth the conservative way! Check out some of my favorite pieces below, and shop the full collection HERE.