15 Fast Facts About Earth Day
With Earth Day fast approaching, it’s important to educate ourselves on the origins and impact of the celebration.
Below are 15 fast facts about Earth Day and how it has inspired people around the globe to reflect on climate change for the last 51 years.
1. The first Earth Day was celebrated on April 22nd 1970.
2. Earth Day was founded by United States Senator G. Nelson in response to the United States’ increased consumption of petroleum based products.
3. The Senator was called to action after observing the Santa Barbara Oil Spill in California. The Santa Barbara Oil Spill is considered the 3rd largest oil spill in history.
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4. The date April 22nd was chosen because college student activism was crucial for the promotion of the holiday, so they chose a date between Spring Break and final exams.
5. Earth Day triggered protests and rallies all across the United States.
6. More than 20 million people took to the streets in 1970 to protest the damage industrialization has caused to the environment.
7. Earth Day laid the groundwork for environmental protections such as: Environmental Protection Agency, The Clean Air Act and even OSHA.
8. Earth Day began as an American celebration, but in 1990 Earth Day expanded to include countries all across the globe.
Photo By Alicia Dale
9. Earth Day celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2020.
10. Protests for environmental protections aren’t limited to Earth Day. On March 15th 2019, the Youth Climate Strike was initiated by Greta Thunberg. Over 1 million people across 125 countries participated.
11. On April 22nd 2020, Greta Thunberg gave a speech in Stockholm to urge people to listen to scientists regarding climate change.
12. In her speech at Stockholm, Greta spoke about the recent COVID lockdown and its impact on the environment: carbon emissions decreased by 2.3 billion tons globally.
13. Earth Day has a new theme each year. In 2021 the theme is Restore Our Earth.
14. The theme Restore Our Earth is based on the idea that we do not have to accept the negative effects of climate change. Scientists are working together to come up with ways to restore the areas and communities most impacted by environmental damage.
15. There are many ways to give back on Earth Day! Consider volunteering at a clean up or take part in educating others about Earth Day
