Every year on April 22 Earth Day is observed around the globe. Environmentalists come together to help further climate action. The words “Restore our Earth” are more than just a theme for Earth Day 2021, it’s a firm statement that a healthy planet is not an option. Having a healthy environment for survival is a necessity.
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This focus on emerging green technologies and restoring ecosystems across the world is not new. It didn’t just happen overnight. In fact, the first Earth day happened over 50 years ago. Let’s take a look at the evolution.
April 22, 1970
Following the 1969 massive oil spill in California and decades of health and environmental impacts from the constant rise in industrial development, the first Earth Day grabbed the attention of national news. Sen. Gaylord Nelson of Wisconsin brought together a series of events all over the nation that sparked change.
Demonstrations flooded the streets as 20 million inspired Americans demanded a change to protect the precious planet we call home before it was too late. By the end of the year, the Environmental Protection Agency was created and the first environmental laws like the Clean Air Act were put in motion.
April 22, 1990
20 years after its inception, Earth Day was reborn. This time it wasn’t just in the U.S., it went global.
Almost 150 countries and 200-million people brought a big spotlight to recycling and the worldwide efforts taken to protect vital ecosystems.
April 22, 2000
10 years after reaching environmentalists around the globe, a new focus on clean energy brought more attention to global warming. This time the internet was used to reach out to even more activists.
April 22, 2020
After engaging 75,000 global partners in the last 20 years, Earth Day commemorated 50 years of fighting for a clean environment with a new goal: get a billion people worldwide to come together to make change happen. Not just with policy, but in our actions as individuals.
With global emissions expected to spike this year as the world begins to recover from the impacts of COVID-19, Earth Day 2021 is more important than ever. You can watch Earth Day Live starting at noon Thursday where workshops and panel discussions will stream online focusing on the message to Restore Our Earth by showcasing innovative thinking that can restore ecosystems around the world.
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