Earth Day is coming fast with it already being next Tuesday. Earth Day is a holiday that is celebrated on April 22nd of each year promoting a healthier and more sustainable Earth. Earth Day is a day for us to take a step back and look at how we are impacting the Earth and look at ways to lessen that impact.
Earth Day has been celebrated for a long time now, but do you know how Earth Day first began?
Earth Day began in 1970 with the founder being a U.S. Senator from Wisconsin named: Gaylord Nelson. The inspiration for the idea of Earth Day came to Gaylord Nelson when he witnessed the 1969 oil spill in Santa Barbara, California. Nelson announced to the national media that he was planning a “national teach-in on the environment.” From this announcement, the first Earth Day began in 1970 on April 22nd, with 20 million Americans starting rallies and protests across the nation in the support of a healthier more sustainable environment. As a result of that first Earth Day, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was created.
Today, Earth Day is celebrated in schools, government, TV shows, and much more promoting a healthier Earth in some way. Even cities have events planned. Here at Grand Forks, some of the events that being planned are: “Doing Our Part” pledge drive, a city display at the UND Earth Day Expo, a city display and Earth Day contest at Super Science Day, and much more.
If you are interested in being involved in an Earth Day event, check out your local school, city, church, nursing home, your place of employment, etc. More than likely they are also planning something for Earth Day. There are also other ways that Earth Day can be celebrated such as picking up trash, removing invasive species, planting a tree, and in so many other ways.
Here at 401(e), we promote a healthier more sustainable Earth by making homes more energy efficient. So whatever you do for Earth Day, don’t forget that the holiday is to promote a healthier, cleaner, and more sustainable Earth.
