NEDERLAND — Around the globe, Earth Day has become the largest secular observance on the planet, with over 1 billion people participating worldwide.

On April 22,1970, the first Earth Day was initiated by Wisconsin Senator Gaylord Nelson and organizer Denis Hayes. The results were part of the national environmental movement that, according to EARTHDAY.ORG, “Led to the creation of the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the passage of other first-of-their-kind environmental laws, including the National Environmental Education Act, the Occupational Safety and Health Act, and the Clean Air Act.” All were passed by the end of 1970.

Pollution in the 1970s was easy to recognize. The use of leaded gasoline, and unchecked pollution from factories, left a recognizable haze hanging like a dark cloud over cities like Denver.

On the first Earth Day in Denver, a teach-in was held, with many high schools excusing students to attend. Attendees from all over symbolically walked and biked to the event. With 5000 seats filled, Governor John Love signed a declaration supporting a cleaner planet. 

On April 22, 2026, 56 years later, one of the many events held for Earth Day was the first nationwide screening of the documentary “Earth’s Greatest Enemy.” Local resident Maureen Marsden contacted the Backdoor Theater with a description of the event, suggesting that along with independent theaters across the country, Nederland participate in the national debut of the documentary.

Marsden used her own money to pay for the rights to air the film and paid the theater to show the documentary. Donations were also collected to support the theatre. 

“Earth’s Greatest Enemy” is a documentary by independent journalist and filmmaker Abby Martin, who, with her husband, U.S. Army veteran Mike Prysner, investigated the U.S. military and their record and presented their view of the military's current status as the greatest polluter on the planet.

Through investigative journalism, visual evidence, and interviews with people the documentary, provides many factual examples for their argument.  

While they do little to address arguments for the importance of the military, they do convey a strong argument for the need to develop accountability within our armed forces.

With the U.S. military budget comprising 47% of discretionary spending approved by Congress, the U.S. military, along with that of many other countries, is exempt from international climate treaties.

Martin and Prysner provide data that the military is responsible for 25% of carbon emissions in the U.S. They show how the military destroys natural habitats and communities with exemptions from responsibility, with the understanding that their mission is more important than their impact on the planet and future generations. 

Not everyone will agree with Martin and Prysner‘s self-avowed anti-imperialist point of view. The importance of this documentary is that all Americans can come to their own points of view by being exposed to challenging ideas and questions.

When local screening organizer Marsden was asked about why she wanted the community to have the opportunity to see the documentary, she said: “There seems to be an illusion that the military is protecting freedom around the world. The truth is that in more and more cases the military is protecting the freedom for the government and private industry to extract resources around the world.”

She went on:, “With military funding increases happening no matter what party is in charge, Americans are left scratching their heads and feeling defeated. What we need is to be forcing honest dialogue about their effect on the planet and its people.”

The documentary is still being screened across the country and eventually will be available for streaming. If you watch the documentary, you might share your point of view in a letter to the editor. The Mountain-Ear is a forum for public discourse on topics like this of vital interest to locals and all Coloradans.