Earth Day

Make Every Day Earth Day!

         
   
     
   
         

What is Earth Day?

Earth Day is a day when millions of people across the world come together to promote a cleaner, safer environment. Earth Day is held every year on April 22.

The History of Earth Day

Earth picture

Senator Gaylord Nelson of Wisconsin is considered the “founder” of Earth Day. Nelson’s idea evolved over a seven-year period beginning in 1962 and resulted in the first Earth Day being held on April 22, 1970. The first Earth Day drew together more than 20 million Americans and became the largest grass roots demonstration in U.S. history. Participants took to the streets, lobbied Congress and began the modern environmental movement. Earth Day 1970 helped develop public support that led to the enactment of the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, Endangered Species Act and the Marine Mammal Protection Act as well as the creation of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

The rest is history. In 1990, some 70 million Americans took part in 40,000 Earth Day events across the nation with more than 1.8 million people gathering in New York City and another

800,000 in Washington, D.C. In 2000, more than a half billion people around the world celebrated the 30th anniversary of Earth Day, making it the largest environmental event in history.

Earth Day is now an annual celebration in many communities with events being held throughout April.

“The objective was to organize a national demonstration of concern for the environment so large that it would shake up the political establishment and force this issue onto the national agenda. It was a gamble, but it worked.”

– Senator Gaylord Nelson, founder of Earth Day

“That Earth Day has survived as an annual, international event is a heartening testament to the strength of a good idea.”

– Denis Hayes, Chair, Earth Day Network