It seems like the importance of Earth Day is more relevant than ever as the disastrous effects of climate change become more and more apparent. We should all be aware of what we can do to extend the life of our precious forests, oceans, and ice caps. Since Earth Day’s inception fifty-two years ago, every April twenty-second has been all about making our society take notice of how our actions affect the environment.
The first Earth Day in 1970 was a response to the rampant pollution of the era as well as to channel the energy young people were using for other types of social change into environmental concerns. Earth Day was spearheaded by Wisconsin senator named Gaylord Nelson, and his efforts to raise awareness not only led to mass demonstrations by twenty million Americans but also led to the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency as well as several landmark pieces of legislation that regulated pollution. Despite the progress made since then, there is still much more work to do before we can secure a livable planet for future generations. This Earth Day we should all consider ways we can do our part to keep our beautiful Earth thriving.