What is the Difference Between Earth Day and Environment Day?
WORLD EARTH DAY is an international day of action for the protection of the environment. The day marks the beginning of the spring equinox in the northern hemisphere and aims to highlight the need for global action to combat climate change. In 2016, 174 countries signed the Paris Agreement, which sets out steps to limit global warming to 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.
The first Earth Day was held in the United States in 1970. Senator Gaylord Nelson of Wisconsin proposed the idea of holding teach-ins on college campuses nationwide. He wanted to tap into the energy of the student anti-war movement to help raise awareness about environmental issues.
Before 1970, air pollution and water pollution were widespread. However, a major oil spill on the coast of Santa Barbara, California, spurred Senator Nelson to action. He was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom for his work on conservation issues.
The first Earth Day was a huge success. More than twenty million people attended rallies, teach-ins, and other environmental events. The event sparked interest in environmental issues and led to the passage of several environmental laws.
The first Earth Day was also important in spurring the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency. It also prompted the passage of the Clean Air Act and the Clean Water Act.
The first Earth Day was celebrated on April 22. The date fell between spring break and final exams for students in the United States.