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Earth Day

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What is Earth Day?

Earth Day is an annual commemoration of the environmental movement's accomplishments and a reminder of the necessity of long-term ecological sustainability. In the United States, Earth Day is observed on April 22 in the rest of the globe, it is observed on either April 22 or the day of the spring equinox. There was an increased awareness of environmental problems among Americans in the late 1960s, and famous environmentalist and the United States Senator Gaylord Nelson aims to start the conservation movement by creating a national celebration. Nelson hired Denis Hayes, a Harvard University graduate student, to help him achieve this goal. Nelson's efforts in Congress included enacting legislation protecting the Appalachian Trail and prohibiting the use of the chemical DDT. 


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They hoped to combine the vigour of student-led anti-war action with a growing public awareness of environmental issues to drive environmental safeguards into the national political agenda. They collaborated to arrange the inaugural Earth Day, which took place on April 22, 1970, and was intended to educate people about the significance of environmental conservation. As a result, Earth day is a very important day for the public so this article will cover more questions related to earth day such as when is earth day celebrated, why is earth day celebrated and when was first earth day was celebrated and so on.


Earth Day History

The first Earth Day was held in 1970 when more people in the United States and across the world became conscious of the environmental damage that humans have caused and continue to inflict. Before the 1970s, pollution of the air and water was the norm. The publication of Rachel Carson's Silent Spring, which describes some of the consequences of pesticides like DDT, helped to a renewed awareness of environmental issues. Each year, Earth Day is immensely important because it recognises the harm that people are capable of causing while also showing the enormous global support for protecting the Earth and the environment. This is especially essential in light of the climate problem; to effect genuine change, our governments must be cognizant of their people' desire for environmental concerns to be prioritised in the policy.


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Our world is a wonderful place, but it requires our assistance to thrive! That is why, on April 22, more than a billion people throughout the world commemorate Earth Day to safeguard the earth from pollution and destruction. We can make our planet a happier, healthier place to live by doing things like cleaning up garbage and planting trees. In 1970, a United States senator from Wisconsin organised a national rally to raise awareness about environmental concerns, which became known as Earth Day. Rallies were held around the country, and the Environmental Protection Agency was established before the end of the year.


Why is Earth Day celebrated?

Earth Day has grown into a worldwide phenomenon since its beginning in 1970, to encourage clean living and a healthy, sustainable ecosystem for humans and wildlife alike. Earth Day serves as a mindful reminder of our planet's fragility and the need to protect it. We may still be making lead-guzzling vehicles and growing industrial production via pollution, smoke, and waste if Senator Nelson hadn't taken a stance in the 1970s. Earth Day is observed to raise environmental awareness and to remind us that we can all do our part to safeguard the environment in our daily lives.


When was the first Earth day celebrated?

Senator Gaylord proposed a 'national teach-in on environmental issues in 1970. He named Republican Congressman Pete McCloskey as his co-chair and Harvard University's Denis Hayes as his national coordinator. The team enlisted the help of 85 people to spread the Earth Day messages across the country. The first Earth Day was commemorated in the United States on April 22, 1970. More than 20 million people rallied, protested, and participated in activities around the United States to promote a clean and safe living environment. Children, parents, and students of all ages marched on government buildings to demand new legislation on local, state, and national levels to safeguard the environment.


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On Earth Day 1970, Republicans, Democrats, and people from all walks of life came together in record numbers. The United States Environmental Protection Agency has been created thanks to the efforts of the inaugural Earth Day. Also presented and enacted were the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, and Endangered Species Act. It was the start of a series of extraordinary actions designed to improve the environment.


When is earth day celebrated on today’s date?

Senator Gaylord Nelson of the United States established Earth Day as a form of environmental education. Earth Day was first observed on April 22, 1970, and today it is observed by over 1 billion people in 192 nations across the world. Every year, Earth Day has become a global event; it is the world's largest civic-focused day of action. The Earth Day Network (EDN), which organises Earth Day events around the world, has chosen the subject "End Plastic Pollution" for Earth Day 2018. Millions of people are being educated by the Earth Day Network on the health and other hazards involved with the use and disposal of plastics, such as pollution of our seas, water, and wildlife, as well as the growing body of evidence that plastic waste is causing serious global problems.

Who coined the term Earth day?

Gaylord Nelson stated that the term Earth Day had been selected with the help of his friends. Julian Koenig, a part of Nelson's organising committee, said the idea came to him since his birthday coincided on April 22, the same day as the chosen date; with "Earth Day" rhyming with "birthday," the link felt logical. On October 25, 1969, Ron Cobb designed an ecological symbol and published it. The sign was made out of the letters "O" and "E" which stand for "Organism" and "Environment" respectively. This emblem became connected with Earth Day later on.


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The importance of Earth Day

  • The first Earth Day was held in 1970 when 20 million people went to the streets to protest environmental deterioration. The 1969 Santa Barbara oil disaster, as well as other concerns including pollution and contaminated waterways, sparked the event.

  • Over the next half-century, Earth Day continued to play a significant role in environmental activism.

  • On Earth Day 2016, the historic Paris Agreement was reached, bringing almost 200 countries together to establish a shared goal to decrease global greenhouse emissions.

  • Every year, on April 22, Earth Day, a day of education about environmental issues affecting our world is held.

  • Demonstrations on Earth Day also help to deliver a message to our elected officials about how important environmental issues are to us, their constituents.

  • Every year on April 22, we commemorate Earth Day to focus on the importance of the planet's health and what we can all do to help ensure that health.

  • In the past, Earth Day has influenced major national policy, and it will continue to do so in the future.


Ways to Celebrate Earth Day

Earth Day has had a good influence on the environment throughout the world, but it may also have a big impact at the local level. Young children, in particular, may be unaware of the numerous ways they may help protect the environment and make it a safer place. Water conservation, recycling, and energy conservation, for example, are all vital aspects of environmental protection. 

  1. Students may use poster projects to encourage other students to recycle and be aware of methods to save and generate less trash by making reminder posters and posting them around the classroom and school. Designing an ecologically friendly home, commonly known as the 'Green House' poster project, is an example of another poster project. Students can use this time to learn about methods to make their houses more environmentally friendly.

  2. Plant a tree: Planting a tree is an excellent method to teach your children about the value of trees. Trees, for example, provide oxygen, which both humans and wildlife require to thrive. Hundreds of thousands of trees, on the other hand, are felled each year to make way for new homes, retail malls, and other construction projects. Planting a tree with your family may assist restore the ecosystem's balance while also creating a lasting memory for you and your family.

  3. Recycle: Earth Day is a great opportunity to teach your children about the importance of recycling. This is a simple job that may be completed at home by illustrating how items such as paper, plastic, and metal can be recycled rather than discarded. Give your kids a pile of garbage to sort into the right recycling bin to get them involved. Another modest method to have a huge influence on the environment is to recycle.


Earth Day is an annual commemoration of the environmental movement's accomplishments and a reminder of the necessity of long-term ecological sustainability. The first Earth Day was held in 1970 when more people became conscious of the damage that humans have caused and continue to inflict on the earth. Earth Day was first observed on April 22, 1970, by Senator Gaylord Nelson of the United States. Today it is observed by over 1 billion people in 192 nations across the world. Earth Day serves as a mindful reminder of our planet's fragility and the need to protect it. Not just on April 22nd, but every day of the year, there are many ways to commemorate Earth Day. Maintaining a clean, safe, and pleasurable environment for all of its residents is a full-time job that anybody can do.

FAQs on Earth Day

1. When is earth day celebrated in the 2021 year and what is the theme of Earth day?

Earth day celebrated on Thursday 22nd April 2021 year.

Climate change and other environmental degradations have wreaked havoc on our natural systems, resulting in the emergence of new and deadly illnesses as well as the collapse of the global economy.


“Restore Our Earth” is the theme for Earth Day 2021. Climate change and the coronavirus epidemic have served as reminders of the damage we've done. As a result, we must Restore Our Earth not just because we care about the environment, but also because we live on it.

2. Why do we celebrate Earth Day 2021?

'Restore Our Earth' is the theme for Earth Day 2021. It focuses on restoring ecosystems by using natural processes and new eco-friendly technology. Earth Day symbolises all we're trying to make a better place for future generations.

3. What was the first Earth Day called?

Arbor Day.

Arbor Day became an official holiday in Nebraska ten years later, in 1882, and the date was shifted to Morton's birthday, April 22. Arbor Day has grown into a national holiday. The date of April 22, 1970, felt natural.