Earth Day, an event to raise awareness of the world’s environmental issues, is first celebrated in the United States on April 22, 1970. Millions of Americans, including students from thousands of colleges and d universities, participated in rallies, marches and educational programs across the country.
Earth Day was conceived by Senator Gaylord Nelson of Wisconsin, a staunch environmentalist who hoped to provide unity to the grassroots environmental movement and increase ecological awareness. “The goal was to secure a national manifestation of concern for the environment so great that it would shake the political establishment from its lethargy,” said Senator Nelson, “and, finally, force this issue permanently to the national political agenda. ”
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The 1962 publication of Rachel Carson’s book Silent Spring –on the effects of pesticides – is often cited as the start of the modern environmental movement in the United States. Sustainability, organic food and the ‘back to the land’ movement continued to gain momentum throughout the 1960s.
The first Earth Day indeed increased environmental awareness in America, and in July 1970, the Environmental Protection Agency was established by special decree to regulate and enforce national pollution laws. Earth Day also led to the passage of laws on drinking water and endangered species.
On April 22, 1990, the 20th anniversary of Earth Day, more than 200 million people in 141 countries participated in Earth Day celebrations. Senator Nelson was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Clinton. (He died in 2005.)
Earth Day has been celebrated on different days by different groups around the world. The United Nations officially celebrates it on the spring equinox, which usually takes place around March 21. Earth Day 2021 – the 51st anniversary – is celebrated on April 22.
READ MORE: How Earth Day 1 Came From The 1960s Counterculture
