The 1970's and 1980's
January 1971:
During a new winter session called Intersession, all Messiah students took a week-long course—"Man and His Environmental Problems"—on the theme of ecology and environmental concerns. During this session students read classics of the environmental movement—“The Population Bomb” by Paul Erlich, “Silent Spring” by Rachel Carson, and “No Deposit, No Return: Man and His Environment,” edited by Huey Johnson. Students were powerfully impacted by the course, and Faculty Meeting Minutes from February 1971 indicate that Student Senate had sent a letter proposing "population control, support of all legislation dealing with ecology and population limiting, and support of ecology candidates."*
Later in 1971:
Students started EnCon, an environmental concern organization that hosted special programs and awareness days about environmental issues. One enthusiastic, but failed, initiative included designating a day when cars would not be allowed to drive to or park on campus in order to create awareness about pollution.
Early 1980s:
"Man and his Environmental Problems" became a part of the general education curriculum, requiring students to develop projects that increased awareness about environmental issues. To fulfill the project requirement, two students began a campus-wide recycling program that collected material from residences, classrooms, and offices. These recycling efforts led the students to establish Earthkeepers, a student organization with creation care as its focus.
*information from "Shared Faith, Bold Vision, Enduring Promise: The Maturing Years of Messiah College" by Paul Nisly. 2010.