Video of Gaylord Nelson

Earth Day 1990

Gaylord Nelson on military spending vs. environmental spending

This clip is part of "Gaylord Nelson: A Profile," which aired on Wisconsin Public Television (WHA-TV) in March 1990. Host: Dave Iverson. Director: Jim Santulli

Courtesy Wisconsin Historical Society

Running time: 2 minutes 16 seconds

Since the 1960s, Nelson vocally criticized the massive expenditures in the Cold War arms race, which he saw stifling the nation's ability to fight poverty and protect its environment. In this clip in 1990, as the Soviet Union unravels, he argues for sharp cuts to the military budget, reallocating funds to environmental problems - "the greatest threat that threatens the country, far greater than the Civil War or any other war."

People featured on camera in this clip:

• Gaylord Nelson
• Dave Iverson