Earth Day facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Earth Day |
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The unofficial Earth Flag created by John McConnell includes The Blue Marble photograph taken by the crew of Apollo 17.
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| Significance | Support for environmental protection |
| Begins | 1970 |
| Date | April 22 |
| Next time | April 22, 2026 |
| Frequency | Annual |
Earth Day is a special day each year, on April 22. It's a time when people around the world show they care about protecting our planet. It started way back in 1970. Now, over a billion people in more than 193 countries take part in Earth Day events!
Contents
The Story of Earth Day
How Earth Day Began
The idea for Earth Day started in 1969. A peace activist named John McConnell suggested a day to honor Earth. He wanted it to be a day for peace, observed on the first day of spring. The United Nations supported his idea.
A month later, a US Senator named Gaylord Nelson had a similar idea. He wanted to hold a nationwide "teach-in" about the environment. He asked a young activist, Denis Hayes, to help organize it. They decided to call the event "Earth Day."
The First Earth Day in 1970
The first Earth Day was held on April 22, 1970. It was a huge success! More than 20 million people in the United States joined in. They took to the streets to protest pollution and demand action for the environment. This event helped create new laws to protect our air and water.
Earth Day Goes Global
In 1990, Denis Hayes helped make Earth Day an international event. People in 141 countries took part. Today, Earth Day is celebrated by over a billion people in 193 countries. It is coordinated by a group called Earthday.org.
Cool Facts About Earth Day
- The name "Earth Day" was chosen by an advertising expert named Julian Koenig. He liked it because April 22 was his birthday, and "birthday" rhymes with "Earth Day!"
- The first Earth Day in 1970 was the largest single-day protest in human history.
- On Earth Day 2016, many countries signed the important Paris Agreement. This agreement aims to fight climate change.
- In 2020, over 100 million people celebrated the 50th anniversary of Earth Day online. It was the biggest online event of its kind.
- Senator Nelson received the Presidential Medal of Freedom award. This was for his great work in starting Earth Day.
- There's another similar event called World Environment Day. The United Nations organizes it every year on June 5.
Earth Day 2024: Planet vs. Plastics
The main topic for Earth Day 2024 was "Planet vs. Plastics." Earthday.org wants to reduce plastic production by 60% by the year 2040.
In 2023, Earthday.org released a report called "Babies vs. Plastics." This report showed how tiny plastic pieces, called microplastics, can harm our health. It especially highlighted how children in poorer countries are affected the most.
Earth Day in Canada
The first Earth Day in Canada was on September 11, 1980. It was organized by Paul D. Tinari. He was a student at Queen's University.
Flora MacDonald, a Canadian politician, officially started Earth Day Week. She planted a tree and asked other politicians to support an annual Earth Day across Canada. People celebrated by learning about the environment. They also picked up trash and planted trees.
Why April 22?
Senator Nelson chose April 22 to get the most students involved. This date avoided school exams and spring breaks. It also didn't conflict with major holidays like Easter. The weather was usually good enough for outdoor events.
April 22 is also close to the birthday of John Muir. He was a famous conservationist. Many parks celebrate his birthday and Earth Day together.
Related pages
Images for kids
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President Richard Nixon and First Lady Pat Nixon plant a tree on the White House South Lawn to recognize the first Earth Day.
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U.S. Senator Edmund Muskie speaking at Fairmount Park, Philadelphia on Earth Day, 1970
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The official logo of the Mount Everest Earth Day 20 International Peace Climb
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United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres addresses the Leaders Summit on Climate
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Volunteers at Sure We Can clean McKibbin Street for Earth Day 2021
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See also
In Spanish: Día de la Tierra para niños
- Arbor Day
- Carbon footprint
- "Earth", a song by Lil Dicky
- Earth Anthem
- Earth Charter
- Earth Hour
- Earth Overshoot Day
- Earth Strike
- Ecology Flag
- Environmental politics
- Expo '74: "Celebrating Tomorrow's Fresh New Environment"
- International Day of Forests
- International environmental agreement
- International Mother Earth Day
- Live Earth
- Pale Blue Dot
- Politics of global warming
- World Environment Day, an awareness day of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
- World Soil Day
- World Water Day
