[6] On October 31, 1957, soon after the first successful Sputnik launch, McConnell wrote an editorial,[10] calling for peaceful cooperation in the exploration of Space with a visible "Star of Hope" satellite.

[11] In 1959 to pursue his dream of peace, John McConnell moved to California where he and his co-publisher, Erling Toness, founded the "Mountain View"[clarification needed].

On June 26, 1965, McConnell spoke at the National Education Association Convention in Madison Square Garden, where the public[who?]

[11] In October 1969, at the UNESCO conference in San Francisco, McConnell proposed a global holiday to celebrate Earth's life and beauty and to advance peace.

[6] The spring equinox Earth Day is celebrated in the Northern Hemisphere in many cities with ringing of peace bells.

[clarification needed][4] Margaret Mead later joined the foundation in September 1976[4] as the international chairman of Earth Day.