We’re celebrating one of our favorite “holidays” of the year - Earth Day!! Enthusiasts like us celebrate this event annually on April 22nd and since 1970, Earth Day has become a global phenomenon intended to raise awareness about environmental issues. The day is also important because it prompts ordinary people, advocates, and legislators to take note of and act on the concerning issues impacting our planet. Since Earth Day began – this was the goal - and so many people have chosen to rally and advocate for sustainable policies while pledging to act against climate change.
Today, Earth Day is celebrated by over a billion (emphasis on billion) people in more than 190 countries, and we’d like to take a moment to explore the history of the day in this post.
The Origins of Earth Day
Organized by Wisconsin native and Senator, Gaylord Nelson, Earth Day was created out of a desire to mitigate environmental concerns. The student anti-war movement was a big hit at the time and Nelson was actually inspired by this movement because he appreciated the students’ energy for such a noteworthy cause. Of course, Nelson wanted to channel the same behavior or energy into environmental advocacy. The question was how? In trying to figure this out, about a year before Earth Day started Nelson was impacted by an oil spill in Santa Barbara, California. The emotions he felt after the spill propelled his advocacy as and these feelings influenced him to address environmental issues head on.
At this juncture, he knew he had to do something big. So, he announced the idea for a national teach-in on the environment and recruited Denis Hayes, a young activist, to organize the event with him. With Hayes’ expertise, they came up with the thought to maximize student participation by choosing April 22nd as they day to host the event. This was primarily because the date fell in between spring break and final exams – meaning they’d get enough participation from students and other interested parties to put environmental issues on the national agenda.
Their efforts caught like wildfire and about 20 million Americans—10% of the U.S. population at the time—participated in rallies, demonstrations, and educational events across the country! A huge turnout for an event of its kind. Because of a successful event, participants around America saw their hard work pay off. Their actions led to the creation of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the passing of environmental laws, like the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, and the Endangered Species Act!
Earth Day Goes Global (1990)
In 1990, Earth Day buzz made its way from America to the world. Events were organized in 141 countries where the attention helped to bring environmental issues to the global stage. Soon after this boom, there was the creation of international environmental agreements, such as the 1992 United Nations Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro.
Earth Day in the 21st Century
From 1970 to 1990 and beyond, Earth Day has continued to grow and advocacy for important topics like Climate Change has seen an increase in support. One of the most iconic milestones as a result was the signing of the Paris Agreement on April 22, 2016. This climate agreement was signed by 195 countries and aims to limit global warming (in the simplest of terms).
The history of Earth Day serves as a great reminder that collective action can make a difference. In fact, one person’s action and tenacity can make a difference. So, what are you waiting for? Get out and celebrate Earth Day and be the change you want to see.