Why Earth Day Is Important

The first Earth Day happened on April 22, 1970. It was inspired by growing concerns over the amount of leaded gas used in automobiles. In 1969, Senator Gaylord Nelson with his colleagues witnessed a massive oil spill in Santa Barbara, California creating a hazardous wake. Looking to get students to champion a growing need for environmental awareness, Nelson helped organize teach-in programs at college campuses.

Nelson, along with Pete McClosky and Denis Hayes are said to be the parties who started Earth Day, selecting April 22 as a day between Spring Break and final exams for maximum impact. Hayes set out to grow this to impact all Americans and promoted events widely. Today, Earth Day is said to have inspired over 20 million Americans to be an active voice for environmental awareness. Globally, more than 1 billion people gather on Earth Day activities to be part of the mass movement of change.

At its core, Earth Day is about making choices that protect the environment and help sustainability efforts that are kinder to Mother Earth. It fights for causes that reduce carbon emissions, fight plastic pollution, create sustainable tree harvesting practices, and protect open space that balances nature with cities.

Over the years, Earth Day has established EarthDay.org that has helped advocate for the creation of green jobs and investment, rebuilding deteriorating schools in a green way, and fighting air and water pollution around the world. As an organization, EarthDay.org supports initiatives that will help the Earth support life for humans and all animals longer.

Most of what Earth Day is about comes down to reducing fossil fuels. “The primary way we can reduce our reliance on fossil fuels in everyday life is to be more intentional in our automobile use,” sustainability expert Stephanie Seferian told Mom.com. “Take public transportation when you can, and don’t simply go for a drive. Instead, plan your errands in a logical manner so as to reduce the amount of time you are driving.” This is something we can all do with just a little awareness starting on Earth Day.

Communities around the country find different ways to celebrate Earth Day. Many schools conduct tree planting ceremonies or have socially responsible assemblies helping kids better understand what impact they have on the environment and what they can do to help. For those doing virtual learning, there are homeschool lessons and resources to get kids excited and involved in Earth Day.

Leah Garcia usually volunteers to help her daughter’s school on Earth Day, “This year, thanks to the pandemic, we’ll quietly plant a new tree and have a naming contest for the kids. This way we can get everyone involved without worrying about a crowded assembly,” Garcia told Mom.com.

If you’re looking for virtual celebrations to partake in, there are many. This will help ensure safety while getting the message out about saving the planet. Here’s what you can look forward to:

• Earth Day Live: Restore Our Earth: This is the second time this event will be held where you can see a live stream of activists, celebrities, and politicians advocate for change. The event starts with a youth summit on April 20th with other events going on both April 21st and 22nd.
• Artivism for Earth: This is presented by the University of Utah on April 22. There will be a series of performances, most of which will take place at the Natural History Museum of Utah.

For those who just want to get back to their roots, Earth Day is a great day to take the kids for a hike and really remind yourself why Earth Day is so important. In Australia, the Nurragingy Reserve Nature Walks welcomes visitors for the day with hikes and other activities to learn about the risk our Earth faces and how we can make the right changes.