Denis Hayes

Denis Hayes
Hayes in 2000
Born	Denis Allen Hayes (1944-08-29) August 29, 1944 (age 79)[1] Wisconsin, United States
Alma mater	Stanford University Harvard Kennedy School Stanford Law School
Occupation	Environmental advocate
Known for	Coordinating the first Earth Day, founding the Earth Day Network, construction of the Bullitt Center

Denis Allen Hayes (born August 29, 1944)^[1] is an environmental advocate and an advocate for solar power. He rose to prominence in 1970 as the coordinator for the first Earth Day.

Hayes founded the Earth Day Network and expanded it to more than 180 nations. During the Carter administration, Hayes became head of the Solar Energy Research Institute (now known as the National Renewable Energy Laboratory), but left this position when the Reagan administration cut funding for the program.

Since 1992, Hayes has been president of the Bullitt Foundation in Washington and continues to be a leader in environmental and energy policy.

He is also the author of Cowed: The Hidden Impact of 93 Million Cows on America's Health, Economy, Politics, Culture, and Environment^[2] and Rays of Hope.^[3]

Hayes has received the national Jefferson Awards Medal for Outstanding Public Service as well as many other awards. Time magazine named him a "Hero of the Planet" in 1999.