On April 22, 2026, people will celebrate Earth Day. Over one billion people throughout the world are expected to participate. That’s five times the number of people that watched the Super Bowl!
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Senator Gaylord Nelson from Wisconsin recognized the need for an Earth Day after an oil spill in 1969.
A senator from Wisconsin named Gaylord Nelson started Earth Day in 1970. In 1969, an oil spill off the coast of Santa Barbara, California, killed thousands of seabirds, seals, and dolphins. After seeing this on the news, Senator Nelson believed the public needed to be educated about the dangers of air and water pollution. Nelson, a Democrat, convinced a Republican senator named Pete McCloskey to join him. Together, they announced that April 22, 1970, would be Earth Day. Earth Day is a day set aside to educate people about how to protect the environment.
The first Earth Day helped energize the US government into taking action. By the end of 1970, the United States had passed several environmental laws. One law protected endangered species [species that are at high risk of extinction]. Other laws were designed to keep the air and water clean. Also that year, President Richard Nixon created the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The EPA makes and enforces regulations [rules that control something] to protect the environment. By 1990, Earth Day became a global event. Now people all around the world celebrate Earth Day.
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There are many ways to help the environment, such as picking up trash in your local park.
This year, the theme of Earth Day is “Our Power, Our Planet.” It encourages every person to recognize they have the power to help the environment. Special Earth Day events, teach-ins, clean-ups, and activities will take place in more than 192 countries. Some will take place on April 22. Others will take place on Saturday, April 18, so people do not have to miss school or work to participate. You can visit the Earth Day website to find out about events in your area.
What Can You Do? There are many things you can do to protect the environment. You can recycle, avoid using plastic goods, and volunteer for local organizations that protect the environment.
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