Denis Hayes, the advocate of Earth Day

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Denis Hayes is an American environmentalist.  He is famous for the role he played in founding and organizing Earth Day.  He is also a strong advocate of the use of solar energy.   

Hayes was born in Camas, Washington, in 1944.  Early on in his life, he developed a love of nature from his exposure to the beautiful environment of the Pacific region.  He enrolled in Clark College, but left after two years and worked odd jobs in order to support himself on his quest to see the world.

Hayes then returned to college as a history major at Stanford University.  He became deeply involved in the movement opposing the Vietnam War.  After graduating, Hayes continued on to Harvard Law School.  However, he left school once again in 1970, this time to assist with the structuring of the first Earth Day.

Hayes became head of the Solar Energy Research Institute, but left this position when President Reagan cut funding for the program.  He finally completed his law degree, while again attending Stanford, and went on to become an adjunct professor of engineering there.

Hayes was the international chairman for Earth Day's twentieth anniversary in 1990.  This event involved 141 countries, as well as over 200 million people.  It attracted a great deal of publicity for the environmental cause in general.

In 1992, Hayes became president of the Bullitt Foundation; he also serves as chairman of the board of Green Seal.  He is also a writer and has published over 100 works, including a book entitled Rays of Hope: The Transition to a Post-Petroleum World, which advocates the immediate use of solar energy.  

Hayes has received numerous awards for his various works and positions.  It has been predicted that his ideas will have a large impact on the 21st century.  Hayes is hopeful that we can all work together to save our world.