How Did Earth Day Become A Special Occasion?
WORLD EARTH DAY IS AN ANNUAL REMINDER TO THE WORLD TO START TAKING ACTION TO PROTECT MATERIALS, SPECIES AND THE PLANET. You can celebrate this day by planting trees in your garden or donating to an environmental organization. If you want to make a difference, you can start by learning more about the environmental issues in your region.
The first Earth Day took place on April 22, 1970. It was organized by Senator Gaylord Nelson from Wisconsin, who was concerned about the state of the planet. He also wanted to inspire the same kind of energy that the anti-war movement had achieved. He also recruited a young activist, Denis Hayes, to organize campus teach-ins.
The first Earth Day was held to raise awareness about air and water pollution, toxic drinking water, and the effects of pesticides. Millions of people participated in the first demonstration. They were also concerned about the oil spill in Santa Barbara, California, in which three million gallons of oil leaked into the ocean.
After the first Earth Day, President Richard Nixon led the nation in creating the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). He also created the Clean Water Act and Endangered Species Act to protect threatened animals throughout the world.
Thousands of colleges began to organize protests against the degradation of the environment. These colleges had previously been involved in anti-war protests, but switched to Earth Day celebrations. In addition to college students, many faith-based organizations also took part.