Earth Day 2023 was just celebrated a couple months ago. April 22 is the day set aside to mark the anniversary of the birth of the modern environmental movement. I believe the entire month of April is an excellent opportunity to learn and take action to preserve and protect our amazing planet year round! It’s also a valuable tool to help cultivate sustainable habits and choices.
Let’s get a brief history of Earth Day and explore some ideas on how we can get the most out of this important day.
Earth Day Origins
For generations, Americans (and many other countries) were unaware of the impacts of factory pollutants, runoff, inefficient automobiles, coal-burning heaters, and other things on the environment. Many industries had few (if any) consequences for unsafe or unhealthy practices. In fact, air pollution was commonly referred to as “the smell of prosperity.”
Most of the world remained largely oblivious to environmental concerns or how pollution might impact humans and the planet.
In 1962, Rachel Carson published the New York Times bestseller Silent Spring. Many environmental activists consider this a watershed moment as more than 500,000 copies flew off the shelves across 24 countries. The public was becoming aware of the concern for the environment and the inextricable link between pollution and public health.
In January 1969, Wisconsin Senator Gaylord Nelson was heartbroken at the devastation from a massive oil spill in Santa Barbara, California. Nelson was inspired by the student anti-war movement and wanted to channel that passion and energy to bring air and water pollution concerns to the forefront.
Senator Nelson shared his idea for a “teach-in” on college campuses all over the country to educate people about environmental concerns. With the help of Denis Hayes, they chose April 22, a weekday falling between Spring Break and final exams, to maximize the potential for participation.
Nelson and Hayes dubbed the “teach-in” Earth Day, and it immediately grabbed the public spotlight and media attention.
On April 22, 1970, about 20 million Americans (10% of the US population) took to the streets, parks, and other gathering spots to promote environmental conservation and denounce the negative impacts of industrial development.
Thousands of college students across the country organized protests, and there were rallies and demonstrations in cities and towns.
Community and collaboration are powerful tools for change. The first Earth Day in 1970 stands as a rare day of political and social alignment as people from all political, socioeconomic, and religious groups came together around a common cause. Earth Day brought environmental groups together in the fight against pollution, oil spills, sewage disposal practices, toxic dumps, pesticides, and the general threats to wildlife and wilderness.
By the end of 1970, the United States had created the Environmental Protection Agency. It passed many essential environmental laws, including the National Environmental Education Act and the Clean Air Act.
In 1990, Earth Day became a global movement, mobilizing 200 million people in 141 countries. Environmental concerns were being lifted to the international stage for the first time. The early ’90s emphasized recycling efforts and helped bring about the 1992 United Nations Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro.
A small action from anyone can make a big difference
Earth Day began as a small idea to educate and mobilize college activists around the cause of environmentalism. Senator Nelson and Denis Hayes probably could not imagine their “teach-in” idea’s global impact.
Small actions can make a massive difference–no matter who you are! Earth Day is evidence of this truth. And now, we have countless environmental heroes who are taking small actions every day to make a big difference.
For example, Phyllis Omido lives in Mombasa, Kenya. After learning that her own breastmilk was making her baby sick with lead poisoning, Phyllis took action. She led her community to close the smelter in Mombasa that was exposing her community to dangerous lead and other chemicals.
In Scotland, Howard Wood was heartbroken at the severe degradation of the Isle of Arran’s marine environment. Commercial fishing practices were destroying his beloved diving areas. So, Howard mobilized the community and helped establish Scotland’s first community-developed Marine Protected Area. This small act led to a dramatic recovery of biodiversity in the area.
Earth Day Should Be Every Day
Earth Day shouldn’t be just one day–or even one month! But there are some powerful ways we can use these moments in time to cultivate lasting change–just like the first Earth Day in 1970!
Start a new habit on Earth Day
Each year, there are countless ways to celebrate Earth Day, from participating in a local clean-up initiative to attending an educational event. I’d like to propose another powerful way to make every day Earth Day.
Why not use Earth Day to begin changing one small daily action? Research shows it takes an average of 60 days to create a new habit. Starting today, what is one new habit you’d like to cultivate in your own life?
There’s no habit too big or too small. I brainstormed some ideas to get the creative juices flowing:
- Commit to ditching single-use water bottles and switch to reusable options
- Change one household cleaning or personal care product to a more sustainable option (Grove Collaborative is a great starting point to find sustainable options)
- Find one sustainable fashion company that you would be excited to shop at next time you need clothing
- Find one book, blog, or podcast about health and environmentally friendly living and commit to expanding your knowledge regularly
- Identify one environmentally-conscious food product that you can add to your regular routine (For example, Clif Bar and Company make tasty power bars and their “5 Aspirations” include sustaining its community, its employees, and the planet.)
The options really are endless. While it can feel overwhelming to think about how much needs to be done to protect and care for the environment, it all comes down to taking one small step at a time.
We’ve come a long way since the first Earth Day in 1970, and we still have a long way to go. But a journey of a thousand miles starts with just one step!
