University of Wisconsin - Extension

Contact: Lynn Brockmeyer, WPT publicist, (608) 263-3364, lynn.brockmeyer@wpt.org

-or-

Andrea Paulet, andrea.paulet@wpt.org

In April 1970 Wisconsin’s own Gaylord Nelson, a respected statesman and environmental preservationist, founded Earth Day. Every year since, April 22 has been a day to call attention to the Earth’s environment.

To commemorate Earth Day, Wisconsin Public Television (WPT) will broadcast April programs featuring various environmental topics.

Jean-Michel Cousteau: Ocean Adventures “Return to the Amazon" at 7 p.m. Wednesdays, April 2 and 9, explores the complex ecosystem of the Amazon region and how human enterprise is endangering its existence. WPT encores part 1 at 10 p.m. Thursday, April 4 and part 2 at 10 p.m. Thursday, April 10.

Nova “Car of the Future” airs at 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 22 looks at how new technological advances may make cars more environmentally efficient in the future. WPT will re-air the program at 10 p.m. Wednesday, April 23.

Frontline “Heat” airs at 8 p.m. Tuesday, April 22. The program investigates what big business is really doing to reshape their approach to environmental policy. The program repeats at 11 p.m. Wednesday, April 23.

Earth Day and Beyond: Gaylord Nelson's Good Fight at 9 p.m. Tuesday, April 22, profiles Nelson and captures him canoeing in pristine waters near the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, which he helped establish. There also are views of other wilderness areas where the Clear Lake, Wis. native interacts with children over the beauty of nature. The program encores at 12 a.m. Wednesday, April 23.

National Geographic’s Strange Days on Planet Earth “Oceans” airs at 8 p.m. Wednesday, April 23. The program examines the environmental state of the world’s fresh and salt water. WPT presents an encore at 11 p.m. Thursday, April 24.

WPT is a service of the Educational Communications Board and the University of Wisconsin–Extension.

Wisconsin Public Television is a place to grow through learning on WHA-TV/DT, Madison; WPNE-TV/DT, Green Bay; WHRM-TV/DT, Wausau; WLEF-TV/DT, Park Falls; WHLA-TV/DT, La Crosse; and WHWC-TV/DT, Menomonie-Eau Claire.