Shortly after the founding of Earth Day, John McConnell began working out his program for promoting Peace, Justice and Care of Earth. Working closely with secretaries-general U Thant and Kurt Waldheim from 1967 to 1972 and with many UN dignitaries up until the time of his passing, John envisioned a corpus of individuals and organizations which would work for the Earth and its many systems, all of which we rely upon for survival. Key to this was his work promoting Social Justice and the idea that one cannot have justice without understanding. To this end John began to work towards a stewardship model which included trusteeship of the ideas he promoted. This eventually became the Earth Trustee Registry. Since its early days and endorsement by John, The Authentic Earth Flag has worked closely with John, even up until shortly before his passing, to ensure that the Earth Trustee Registry survives and that the ideas that he promoted continue to live on.

Many heads of state, secretaries-general of the UN and other Earth Aware Stewards who are working towards a sustainable human presence on this planet have been enrolled as Earth Trustees. Counted among them are U Thant, Kurt Waldheim, Margaret Mead and recently, Al Gore. Even today the Earth Trustee pedigree remains powerful and its application could not be more appropriate than in today's global political climate. For this reason we have competely retooled the Earth Trustee Registry and also added some Authenticity Measures to it in order to make sure that we are creating a genuine authority for the propagation of John's mission and ideas. Starting today, this new endeavor will be called the Authentic Earth Trustee Program.

We share this marvelous spaceship, with all life, sheltered under its protective umbrella from the viscious effects of unmitigated radiation and the life-ending cold of outer space. No matter our race, religion or creed, we are all subject to one fact: We neither made this planet, nor formed it and came to be upon it only by being nurtured by it. Humans do not own this planet any more than any other life form. To each and to all this planet is known by only one name, home. We invite you to join in on the greatest journey our species has ever embarked upon. This journey requires no great transit for it is right here, right now. It is as close as the breath in your lungs. It is life, our life, your life. We must protect it or face peril. Become an Earth Trustee today and be called one of the Earth Aware.