Ecology Flag (American)

The Ecology Flag was a cultural symbol used in the seventies in the United States by early environmentalists.

Description

Ron Cobb created an ecology symbol and published on October 25, 1969, placing it in the public domain. The symbol was a combination of the letters "E" and "O" taken from the words "Environment" and "Organism", respectively. Look magazine incorporated the symbol into a flag in their April 21, 1970 issue. The flag was patterned after the flag of the United States, and had thirteen stripes alternating green and white. Its canton was green with a yellow "Theta" replacing the similar Cobb symbol. "Theta" was used because of its historic use as a warning symbol and the symbol would later become associated with Earth Day.

History

As a 16 year old high school student, Betsy Boze (Betsy Vogel), an environmental advocate and social activist that enjoyed sewing costumes and unique gifts, made a 4 x 6 foot green and white "theta" ecology flag to commemorate the first Earth Day. Initially denied permission to fly the flag at C.E. Byrd High School in Shreveport, Louisiana. Vogel sought and received authorization from the Louisiana Legislature and Louisiana Governor John McKeithen in time to display the flag for Earth Day.

See also

* Earth flag
* Esperanto jubilee symbol

External links

*
* [http://www.flagsinternational.com/ecology-flag.htm Brief History of the Ecology Flag]
* [http://www.roncobbdesigns.com/International_symbol_for_Ecology.210.0.html Artwork of original symbol at Ron Cobb's website]