The Swedish environmental activist Greta Thunberg (holding sign) marches in a 2019 protest organized by students. As a teenager, Thunberg became known for her boldness in confronting adult politicians for their inaction on climate change due to global warming.
Credit: © Alexandros Michailidis, Shutterstock

April 22 is Earth Day, an annual observance to increase public awareness of environmental issues. Each year on Earth Day, millions of people throughout the world gather to clean up litter, protest threats to the environment, and celebrate progress in reducing pollution.

Earth Day began in the United States. In 1969, the U.S. Senator Gaylord A. Nelson suggested that a day of environmental education be held on college campuses. The following year, the lawyer and environmentalist Denis Hayes, then a recent graduate of Stanford University, led hundreds of students in planning and organizing the observance of Earth Day on April 22, 1970. About 20 million people participated in this celebration.

The observance of Earth Day in 1970 helped alert people to the dangers of pollution and stimulated a new environmental movement. That same year, Congress created the Environmental Protection Agency to set and enforce pollution standards. Congress also passed the Clean Air Act of 1970, which limited the amount of air pollution that cars, utilities, and industries could release. Other new environmental laws soon followed.

One modern champion for the environment is the Swedish activist Greta Thunberg. She has worked to convince politicians to take action against climate change due to global warming. Global warming is an observed increase in Earth’s average surface temperature. As a teenager, Thunberg became known for her boldness in confronting adult politicians for their inaction on climate change. She has called upon leaders to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases, mainly carbon dioxide. Such gases trap heat in the atmosphere, warming the planet’s surface.

Thunberg was born in Stockholm, Sweden, on Jan. 3, 2003. She was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder at a young age. As a child, she showed an interest in environmental issues. She convinced her family to reduce their carbon footprint by becoming vegan and giving up air travel. Carbon footprint is a measure of the greenhouse gas emissions associated with human activities.

In 2018, at the age of 15, Thunberg protested for action on climate change outside the Swedish parliament, inspiring other student protesters. Together, they organized school strikes to demand action on climate change. In August 2019, Thunberg sailed across the Atlantic Ocean from Plymouth, in the United Kingdom, to New York City, in the United States, on a “carbon neutral” voyage. Thunberg sailed aboard a yacht that got its electric power from solar panels and underwater turbines. While in the United States, she addressed the United Nations as part of its Climate Action Summit. During her speech, she announced that she and a group of other children were filing a lawsuit against five nations not on track to meet their emission-reduction targets under the Paris Agreement. The Paris Agreement is a global treaty designed to fight global warming.

Swedish environmental activist Greta Thunberg
Credit: © Alexandros Michailidis, Shutterstock

April 22 is Earth Day, an annual observance to increase public awareness of environmental issues. Each year on Earth Day, millions of people throughout the world gather to clean up litter, protest threats to the environment, and celebrate progress in reducing pollution.

Earth Day began in the United States. In 1969, the U.S. Senator Gaylord A. Nelson suggested that a day of environmental education be held on college campuses. The following year, the lawyer and environmentalist Denis Hayes, then a recent graduate of Stanford University, led hundreds of students in planning and organizing the observance of Earth Day on April 22, 1970. About 20 million people participated in this celebration.

The observance of Earth Day in 1970 helped alert people to the dangers of pollution and stimulated a new environmental movement. That same year, Congress created the Environmental Protection Agency to set and enforce pollution standards. Congress also passed the Clean Air Act of 1970, which limited the amount of air pollution that cars, utilities, and industries could release. Other new environmental laws soon followed.

One modern champion for the environment is the Swedish activist Greta Thunberg. She has worked to convince politicians to take action against climate change due to global warming. Global warming is an observed increase in Earth’s average surface temperature. As a teenager, Thunberg became known for her boldness in confronting adult politicians for their inaction on climate change. She has called upon leaders to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases, mainly carbon dioxide. Such gases trap heat in the atmosphere, warming the planet’s surface.

Thunberg was born in Stockholm, Sweden, on Jan. 3, 2003. She was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder at a young age. As a child, she showed an interest in environmental issues. She convinced her family to reduce their carbon footprint by becoming vegan and giving up air travel. Carbon footprint is a measure of the greenhouse gas emissions associated with human activities.

In 2018, at the age of 15, Thunberg protested for action on climate change outside the Swedish parliament, inspiring other student protesters. Together, they organized school strikes to demand action on climate change. In August 2019, Thunberg sailed across the Atlantic Ocean from Plymouth, in the United Kingdom, to New York City, in the United States, on a “carbon neutral” voyage. Thunberg sailed aboard a yacht that got its electric power from solar panels and underwater turbines. While in the United States, she addressed the United Nations as part of its Climate Action Summit. During her speech, she announced that she and a group of other children were filing a lawsuit against five nations not on track to meet their emission-reduction targets under the Paris Agreement. The Paris Agreement is a global treaty designed to fight global warming.

April 22, 2020

Australia on Earth as seen from space.
Credit: © Harvepino/Shutterstock

How are you going to improve the world today? On this date, 50 years ago, an estimated 20 million Americans, both young and old, took part in the very first Earth Day. The number of people who participate in Earth Day grows each year as the world becomes more connected via social media and internet access. This year, public Earth Day celebrations in many areas will be curtailed as a result of social distancing measures undertaken to stem the spread of the coronavirus disease COVID-19. However, billions of people around the globe will take time examine human impacts on the environment.

Perhaps the most serious issue facing the environment today is climate change due to global warming. Global warming is an observed increase in Earth’s average surface temperature, driven by human activities. Global warming drives changes to the climate that can damage ecosystems, drive species to the brink of extinction, and increase the frequency and severity of such disasters as wildfires. 

Earth Day began in the United States on April 22, 1970. In 1969, U.S. Senator Gaylord A. Nelson of Wisconsin suggested that a day of environmental education be held on college campuses, similar to the anti-Vietnam War demonstrations, called “teach-ins.” The following year, the lawyer and environmentalist Denis Hayes, then a recent graduate of Stanford University, led hundreds of students in planning and organizing the observance of the first Earth Day. 

While working around colleges’ academic schedules, Earth Day was also a tip-of-the-hat to another notable environmental action day, Arbor Day. Nebraska newspaper editor and politician Julius Sterling Morton began Arbor Day once he realized how much trees enrich and conserve moisture in soil. Through his efforts, April 10, 1872, was set aside as Nebraska’s first Arbor Day. The Nebraska Legislature later made Arbor Day a legal holiday and changed its date to April 22, Morton’s birthday. Today, however, National Arbor Day is celebrated on the last Friday of April.

The observance of the first Earth Day helped alert people to the dangers of pollution and stimulated a new environmental movement. That same year, Congress created the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to set and enforce pollution standards. Congress also passed the Clean Air Act of 1970, which limited the amount of air pollution that cars, utilities, and industries could release. Other new environmental laws soon followed.

April 22, 2016

An image of Earth, taken from space. © Shutterstock

How are you going to improve the world today? On this date, almost 50 years ago, an estimated 20 million Americans, both young and old, did just that and took part in the very first Earth Day. This year, more than a billion people from nearly 200 countries will mark the day by showing support for environmental protection and confronting the ecological problems in their cities, states, nation, and on their planet. The number of people who participate in Earth Day grows each year as the world becomes more connected via social media and increasing Internet accessibility across the globe.

One of the most significant occurrences to take place on Earth Day in 2016 concerns China and the United States—the world’s leading carbon dioxide emitters—who have agreed to sign a historic agreement at a United Nations (UN) ceremony in New York City on April 22. Both nations are agreeing to adopt a “global action plan to put the world on track to avoid dangerous climate change by limiting global warming to well below 35.6 Fahrenheit degrees (2 Celsius degrees).” In addition, at least 130 countries are expected to sign the Paris Agreement on climate change this Earth Day.

Earth Day began in the United States on April 22, 1970. In 1969, U.S. Senator Gaylord A. Nelson of Wisconsin suggested that a day of environmental education be held on college campuses, similar to the anti-Vietnam War demonstrations, called “teach-ins.” The following year, the lawyer and environmentalist Denis Hayes, then a recent graduate of Stanford University, led hundreds of students in planning and organizing the observance of the first Earth Day.

While working around colleges’ academic schedules, Earth Day was also a tip-of-the-hat to another notable environmental action day, Arbor Day. Nebraska newspaper editor and politician Julius Sterling Morton began Arbor Day once he realized how much trees enrich and conserve moisture in soil. Through his efforts, April 10, 1872, was set aside as Nebraska’s first Arbor Day. The Nebraska Legislature later made Arbor Day a legal holiday and changed its date to April 22, Morton’s birthday. Today, however, National Arbor Day is celebrated on the last Friday of April.

The observance of the first Earth Day helped alert people to the dangers of pollution and stimulated a new environmental movement. That same year, Congress created the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to set and enforce pollution standards. Congress also passed the Clean Air Act of 1970, which limited the amount of air pollution that cars, utilities, and industries could release. Other new environmental laws soon followed.

So, how can you improve the world today? Start with drinking plain tap water from a reusable glass or cup. According to some estimates, it takes almost 2 gallons (7 liters) of water to make one plastic water bottle! Add in the amounts of fossil fuels used to make, transport, and chill water in the plastic bottles, and the environmental costs just keep getting greater. Drinking tap water is just one way to improve the world today. 

Other World Book articles

• Kyoto Protocol
• Tree

April 22, 2013

An interactive video display of people, animals, and places around the world that are directly affected or threatened by climate change will be shown at thousands of places worldwide today as part of the 43rd celebration of Earth Day. The display, which is also available online at  EarthDay.org, includes images of people working to combat climate change and environmental pollution.

Earth Day is an annual observance, held on April 22, to increase public awareness of environmental issues. Each year on and around Earth Day, hundreds of millions of people throughout the world gather to clean up litter, to protest threats to the environment, and to celebrate progress in reducing pollution. Many events are coordinated by the Earth Day Network (EDN), which chose “The Face of Climate Change” as the theme for this year’s event. Headquartered in Washington, D.C.,  the EDN “promotes year-round environmental citizenship and action, worldwide.” According to the EDN, about 1 billion people in 192 countries were expected in participate in environmental activities to celebrate Earth Day 2013.

People celebrate Earth Day in Washington, D.C. (AP/Wide World)

Earth Day began in the United States. In 1969, U.S. Senator Gaylord A. Nelson (D., Wisconsin) suggested that a day of environmental education be held on college campuses. The following year, the lawyer and environmentalist Denis Hayes, then a recent graduate of Stanford University, led hundreds of students in planning and organizing the observance of Earth Day on April 22, 1970. About 20 million people participated in this celebration. By 1990, participation had increased to an estimated 200 million people in 141 countries.

The observance of Earth Day in 1970 helped alert people to the dangers of pollution and stimulated a new environmental movement. That same year, Congress created the Environmental Protection Agency to set and enforce pollution standards. Congress also passed the Clean Air Act of 1970, which limited the amount of air pollution that cars, utilities, and industries could release. Other new environmental laws soon followed.

Additional World Book articles:

• Conservation
• Global warming
• Congress of the United States 1970 (a Back in Time article)
• Polluting the Earth (a special report)