Written by: Victoria Santiago. April 2022
Every year, on the 22nd of April, Earth Day, we come together to celebrate the love and appreciation for our beautiful planet Earth. This day raises awareness of the importance of caring for our environment and is a catalyst for action. But have you ever wondered where this holiday came from? A now globally celebrated holiday, Earth Day was first celebrated nationally in an environmental movement that took place in the year 1970. The establishment of the holiday was propelled by a great oil spill in Santa Barbara, California in 1969. Following the oil spill, U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson was motivated to assemble national support for the implementation of safer industrial regulations and general environmental protection. He gained support from millions of Americans who held rallies and took part in various activities promoting a cleaner and safer environment. Partakers of these rallies demanded environmental protection from legislation on local, state, and national levels, giving way to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and soon after, laws such as the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, and the Endangered Species Act.
In 1990, Denis Hayes, an environmental advocate, organized another big campaign that gained global attention. This time, with the support of 200 million people, it greatly boosted recycling efforts, made way for the United Nations Earth Summit in 1992, and provoked President Bill Clinton to present Senator Nelson with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, officially recognizing him as the founder of Earth Day.
Now, with social media platforms such as Instagram and Twitter, the spread of information and awareness of events are right at our fingertips. On Earth Day, photos commemorating the planet’s beautiful landscapes, waters, and individuals enjoying the great outdoors are quick to flood our social media timelines. What will your celebration of Earth Day look like this year?
