Groups Give a Little Peace of Mind

Kathleen Hendrix’s timely article on peace groups starting to address environmental concerns (“Seeking a Focus Beyond War” May 12) was welcome and long overdue.

Planting the seeds to unite ecology and peace movement issues actually began locally in 1983 when the Alliance for Survival, traditionally a peace and nuclear disarmament organization, revived interest in the traditionally environmental April 22 “Earth Day” commemoration.

The alliance’s annual “Earth Day” events have featured peace and ecology oriented speakers such as Nancy Sue Pearlman, Director of the Ecology Center of Southern California and Nicholas Meyer, director of “The Day After.”

It is certainly time for the peace movement to join with Beyond War, Physicians for Social Responsibility and the Interfaith Center to reverse the arms race in broadening the issues that deplete our planet. It is also imperative that environmental groups expand their work to include peace and nuclear-related issues. After all, a global “nuclear winter” would be the greatest environment threat of all time.

The Los Angeles Alliance for Survival is proposing an “Earth Day” 20th Anniversary commemoration on April 22, 1990. That could be the day when environmental and peace movement seedlings really start to blossom.

JERRY RUBIN

Director

Los Angeles Alliance for Survival

Venice