When did it start; how is it celebrated; what can you do? Boston 25 News [Video]

Monday is Earth Day 2024, and more than 1 billion people across the globe are expected to celebrate with environmentally friendly events.

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But what is Earth Day? When did it start? How can you participate? Here’s what you need to know:

When did Earth Day start?

The first Earth Day celebration took place in 1970 after an oil spill in America brought environmental issues to the forefront of public consciousness. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, 22 million people across the country came out in support of environmental reform.

“That day left a permanent impact on the politics of America,” Gaylord Nelson wrote in the April 1980 edition of the EPA Journal. “It forcibly thrust the issue of environmental quality and resource conservation into the political dialogue of the nation.

“It showed political and opinion leadership of the country that the people cared, that they were ready for political action, that the politicians …