Earth Day

History of Earth Day

Before the first Earth Day celebration, on April 22, 1970, air pollution was very common. Senator Gaylord Nelson wanted the Nation to understand just how important it is to protect the Earth, so in 1970, he organized the first Earth Day celebration.

On April 22, 1970, 10,000 grade schools and high schools, 2,000 colleges, and 1,000 communities got involved. About 20 million people around the world participated in the first Earth Day celebration. Earth Day is now celebrated every year, but we should all make choices in our daily lives that promote a healthier planet.

Celebrate the Earth!

There are many simple things you can do to help protect the environment. Choose ideas from the list below or come up with a few of your own.

•Plant flowers, plants, or trees.

•With the help of a trusted adult, organize a group of friends to pick up trash at a park.

•Turn off the lights, radio, or TV when you leave the room. This saves a lot of electricity.

•Turn off the water when you brush your teeth. You can save up to 4 gallons of water by not letting it run. Just use it to rinse. Also, use a plastic cup instead of a paper cup when you rinse out your mouth; this saves paper.

•Take shorter showers to save water.

•With the help of an adult, make a bird feeder and hang it on a tree in your yard.

•Keep the doors and windows shut in the winter to keep the warm air in.

•Donate your old books and magazines to a doctor's or dentist's office, day care center, or library instead of throwing them away.

•Start a compost pile. Ask your parents for help. You can put fruit or vegetable scraps, cut grass, or plant trimmings in the compost. Not only does this cut down on landfill space, it is a great fertilizer for plants and flowers!

•Recycle old newspapers, cardboard food boxes, cans, and bottles.

•If you have outgrown your clothes, but they are still in good condition, give them to a younger child you know or a local charity instead of just throwing them away.

•Use both sides of scrap computer paper.

•Use plastic grocery bags as trash can liners.

•Don't litter.

•Encourage all your friends to do the same things you do to help preserve the Earth!