On Earth Day 2018, Americans need to defend their planet like it's 1970 Trump and his minions are rolling back hard-fought environmental regulations as fast as they can. We're not ready to defend our planet this time.

John Heritage | Opinion contributor

Are we ready? Some 48 years ago we were. April 22, 1970, was about to happen. It would be the first Earth Day, proposed by U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson, Democrat of Wisconsin.

What a day it was to be. A big oil spill had taken place off of Santa Barbara, in the Pacific, a year before. The spill had forcibly reminded the American public of the vulnerability of the natural environment. In September of 1962, Rachel Carson had written a book, titled “Silent Spring” which was a shocker, graphically telling of the huge hazard of indiscriminate use of pesticides.

Indeed, when that first Earth Day came, the public was ready.

And ready for what? Prepared for people to attend environmental teach-ins around the country, as well as other activities. The teach-ins were patterned after the anti-Vietnam war teach-ins that the students had been staging. The estimate by observers was that 20 million people had turned out on the big day. It was a celebration of the priceless value of the Earth to its inhabitants.

More: Don't take the environmental cop off the beat: Column

More: Bill Frist to Congress: Stand up for nature. Don't starve EPA and conservation programs.

One particular aspect of that first environmental day was that the entire Congress adjourned and traveled to home states and districts to hear what constituents in towns and cities — the entire country — had to say. With one voice, the peaceful grassroots protesters said to the Congress, “Do something!” Over the next several years, Congress “did something.”

Inspired by Earth Day and the newly invigorated environmental movement, Congress passed measures to curb air pollution and water pollution, manage solid waste and protect endangered species. Senator Nelson, who never was silent about environmental protection, said, “We are blessed by a thin layer of air and a thin layer of soil, which sustain the very life on this planet. Don’t wreck them.” (The Senator passed away in 2005.)

That was Earth Day, 1970. Indeed, the members of Congress and the public needed little prodding. In fact, people were ready to tackle something which could destroy the "beautiful, for spacious skies, for amber waves of grain...” With this effort, Americans could prevail and did.

So now, today, the question again is, “Are we ready?” With this Earth Day looming a short time away, are we ready?

But amid the surge of environmental activity four decades ago, did we overlook the reality that environmental protection must create and maintain a home which must be a lasting, sustainable thing?

More: Impossible Environmentalism: Green groups promote utopian fantasies

POLICING THE USA: A look at race, justice, media

Indeed, I say with all I can, look at what is happening now.

Trump and his minions are rolling back hard-fought environmental regulations as fast as they can. And while Arctic and Antarctic ice melts and seas rise, Trump walks out of the most significant world conference yet to get a handle on global warming.

Meanwhile, the Trump rollback targets federally-protected lands, making way for minerals and the already failing “King Coal." The lands are being opened even though safer energy sources are coming online.

And lobbyists have invaded the Environmental Protection Agency, shoving dedicated environmental experts aside, supported by EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt (a man now deep in scandal).

To be truthful and blunt about it, environmental policy is being devastated by the Trump administration.

Are we ready? No, not this time. We, the American people, are watching while a precious legacy is stolen, the legacy of the Earth and its survivability.

Never be lured into thinking that this profound challenge to the environment could not prevail. Our home is at risk. And remember Nelson’s warning, “… a thin layer of air… a thin layer of soil…”

One must ask, “Where is everybody?” I’m not sure. People came out on Earth Day 1970. Will they come out in 2018? Will they hear environmentalists calling, “Come on, join us in the fight. It is our sacred home.”

Watch those California wildfires and those rising seas with ice breaking off the glaciers. See people breathing dirty air. Are we willing to tolerate this?

This is what Earth Day is all about. It is a precautionary thing.

John Heritage was Senator Gaylor Nelson's legislative director. Michelle Mirpour contributed to this column.