Earth Day

Submitted by 2 Wild Poppies

“The environment is where we all meet; where all have a mutual interest; it is the one thing all of us share.” —Lady Bird Johnson

Each year on April 22, billions of people across the globe celebrate Earth Day to protect our planet from pollution and deforestation. By taking part in Earth Day activities, we’re making our world a happier, healthier place to live.

The inspiration for Earth Day came after the massive Santa Barbara, California oil spill in January 1969. The idea was sprouted by Wisconsin Senator Gaylord Nelson, who had long been concerned about the deteriorating environment in the United States. A committee was formed and on April 22nd,1970, more than 20 million Americans took to the streets, cleaning up their communities and making it the birth of the modern environmental movement we know today.

1990, it became a global affair, with now more than 190 countries engaged and billions of active individuals coming together to learn about and remember the importance of protecting the only Earth we have.

Here are some things you can do on Earth Day:

  • Clean garbage in your community, either in an organized event or picking up garbage you see while you are on a walk or out camping.
  • Plant trees and flower gardens to help our pollinators
  • Recycle when you can
  • Decrease your use of single use plastics
  • Spread the word and act

These may only seem like small steps, but if we all do these little things and make these small changes, it will have a huge impact to help our planet. Like Lady Bird Johnson said, the environment is the one thing all of us humans share. We need to take care of our Earth, it’s the only one we have.