Time
Magazine named environmental activist, Denis Hayes, as one
of the "100 Heroes of the Planet" in 1999. He has spent most of
his life working for a better world and first gained recognition
as the coordinator of the first Earth Day in 1970. 20 million
people participated in that national event. Following this success,
Denis Hayes founded the Earth Day Network which has helped spread
Earth Day celebrations and activities to more than 180 countries
since then. Under President Jimmy Carter, Denis Hayes became the
youngest person to head a National Laboratory when he was appointed
as head of the Solar Energy Research Institute (now the National
Renewable Energy Laboratory). Since 1992, he has headed the Bullitt
Foundation, which helps protect and restore the environment in
the Pacific Northwest. Denis Hayes continues to be a leading voice
for environmental and renewable energy policy.