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A BRIEF HISTORY
OF EARTH DAY
Earth Day is celebrated each April and
draws attention to a range of issues affecting
the environment. Earth Day aims
to raise awareness in the hope of inspiring
change.
Earth Day is observed on April 22. According
to National Geographic, the first Earth Day
was celebrated in 1970. Wisconsin senator
Gaylord Nelson was inspired to begin a national
celebration uniting the environmental movement
after witnessing environmental activism
in the 1960s. With the help of Denis Hayes, a
graduate student at Harvard University, Nelson
organized the first Earth Day. Twenty million
people participated in events across the United
States and strengthened support for environmental
legislation like the Clean Air Act and
the Endangered Species Act.
Earth Day was expanded to a global initiative
in 1990 under guidance from Hayes. Nearly
200 million participants in more than 140
countries now join together in the name of protecting
the planet. Awareness continues to be
raised each year regarding renewable energy
and climate change.
One of the hallmarks of Earth Day celebrations
is the planting of trees. Researchers estimate
roughly 15 billion trees are cut down each
year across the globe. By planting a tree every
Earth Day, people can make a difference. Trees
absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen and
bolster ecosystems for wildlife. Shade trees
can reduce reliance on fans and air conditioning
systems.
The main message of Earth Day 2024 is the
need to commit to ending reliance on plastics,
says EarthDay.org. The goal is a 60 percent
reduction in the production of all plastics by
2040. Plastics are bad for the environment a
growing body of research indicates they have
an adverse effect on the major systems of the
body, including immune, respiratory, digestive,
and hormonal systems.
Everyone can do their part to promote the
ideals behind Earth Day. For 54 years, millions
of people have been advocating for change
to benefit the planet and human and animal
health, and that fight is ongoing.
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