Earth Day Turns 50 This Year, and Here Are 4 Ways to Celebrate
With Earth Day approaching, I’ve committed to making as many environmentally-friendly decisions as possible. Over the last few years I’ve made a number of sustainable swaps: I use reusable sandwich wraps instead of plastic zip-top bags and I always take my reusable grocery bags (which I recently discovered are super easy to clean) to the store so I can skip the wasteful plastic sacks. I'm conscious of these things year-round, but with the 50th anniversary of Earth Day coming up I wanted to learn more about the history of the holiday and find a few meaningful ways to celebrate.
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The History of Earth Day
In 1970 there were no government regulations in place to protect the environment, so Wisconsin Senator Gaylord Nelson organized an event to help educate Americans on the topic. He organized a committee of scientists, environmentalists, and students called Environmental Teach-In, Inc., which held lectures, events, and rallies at colleges across the country in an attempt to get people interested in taking care of the earth. On April 22, 1970, more than 20 million Americans participated in the very first Earth Day.
The impact of these small events around the country was monumental: Because the participants raised so much awareness about the importance of protecting the environment, Congress authorized the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency (a federal agency dedicated to environmental policy) just eight months later. The Earth Day movement is also credited with the creation of the National Environmental Protection Act, the Clean Air Act, and the Clean Water Act.
Every year since 1970, Americans have gathered to celebrate Earth Day by hosting rallies, organizing community volunteer projects, and holding educational events to teach others about the importance of the environment. This April marks the 50th anniversary of the holiday; to celebrate, consider one of these Earth Day activities.
How to Celebrate Earth Day
Get Involved
One of the most fitting things you can do on Earth Day is to volunteer with an organization that actually helps the earth. Many communities plant trees or clean up local parks in honor of the holiday. If you’re not sure where to start, use VolunteerMatch to find a volunteer opportunity in your area: The site allows you to filter by type of activity and by keyword, so it’s easy to find an Earth Day project near you.
Make Reusable Products
This holiday is a time to learn about sustainability and start implementing new routines. This Earth Day, celebrate in a way that will help you carry out the vision all year: Invite a few friends over and make your own beeswax food wraps so you can ditch plastic wrap for good, or get out the sewing supplies and help each other make DIY fabric utensil wraps out of thrifted or upcycled fabric.
Pick Up Plastic
If group events aren’t your thing, you can still get involved in nature. Stroll through a park or find a local walking path and take a bag with you. Pick up all the trash and plastic you see on your walk (be sure to wear gloves for protection, and don't handle broken glass with your hands) then recycle what you can when you get home.
Raise Money
Sometimes it feels like we can’t make much of an impact from our corner of the world, but every little bit helps. This year, do some research and choose an environmental charity to support (if you’re not sure where to start, sources like Giving Green and ImpactMatters can help you decide). Hold a fundraiser either in person or online, then donate the funds to your chosen cause.
