What is Earth Day Called Now?

Originally celebrated on April 22 in the United States, Earth Day has evolved into an international environmental awareness event. The day is celebrated in 193 countries and it is estimated that over a billion people participate in Earth Day each year.

The first Earth Day was organized by Senator Gaylord Nelson of Wisconsin. He was inspired by a large oil spill off the coast of Santa Barbara, California. He decided to organize a teach-in on college campuses to encourage students to fight for environmental causes. He recruited activist Denis Hayes to help him organize campus teach-ins. He worked with an array of groups to promote the event.

The event was a success, and it helped to put environmental issues on the national agenda. Its success inspired the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency. The agency later passed legislation to clean air, protect public health, and protect endangered species.

Before the first Earth Day, air and water pollution were the norm. This was caused by the industrialization of the U.S. The pollution was primarily linked to the health of people.

Gaylord Nelson was convinced that the government was not doing enough to protect the environment. He proposed that Earth Day be held on April 22. Nelson also persuaded Congressman Pete McCloskey to be co-chair of the event.

On April 22, 1970, tens of thousands of protests were held around the U.S., ranging from major cities to rural areas. The first Earth Day was a success, and President Richard Nixon led the nation in the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency.