Earth Day is on Monday. Here's what to know about the environmental holiday.
The annual celebration of our planet is on Monday, but do you know why we celebrate?
Here's what to know about Earth Day.
When is Earth Day 2024?
Earth Day is on April 22 every year in the United States, but other parts of the world celebrate on the day of the spring equinox, according to National Geographic.
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Why do we celebrate Earth Day?
Earth Day is about celebrating the progress of the environmental movement and it's efforts to help the planet.
"Earth Day is an annual celebration that honors the achievements of the environmental movement and raises awareness of the need to protect Earth’s natural resources for future generations," National Geographic said.
When was the first Earth Day?
The first Earth Day was April 22, 1970 and essentially founded the evironmental movement. It was organized by politicians and students worried about conservation of the environment.
"Earth Day inspired 20 million Americans — at the time, 10% of the total population of the United States — to take to the streets, parks and auditoriums to demonstrate against the impacts of 150 years of industrial development which had left a growing legacy of serious human health impacts," according to EarthDay.org.
The first Earth Day also led to the creation of the United States Evironmental Protection Agency which were responsible for passing the first major environmental laws including the National Environmental Education Act, the Occupational Safety and Health Act, the Clean Air Act, and only two years later, the Clean Water Act.
How do we celebrate Earth Day today?
Earth Day is still celebrated through activism and individuals doing their part by volunteering in their communities and educating themselves on environmental issues.
In Louisville, you can celebrate at the Louisville Zoo on April 21 and Waterfront Botanical Gardens on April 22.
Katie Wiseman is a trending news intern at IndyStar. Contact her at klwiseman@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter @itskatiewiseman.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Earth Day 2024: When is it? When was the first one? How do I celebrate?
