Every year on April 22, the whole world comes together to celebrate this planet we call home, for Earth Day.
Earth Day originated in 1970 by Wisconsin Senator, Gaylord Nelson. Today we know how important it is to take care of our planet every day, but Senator Nelson saw this as an opportunity to take a step toward creating awareness of environmental concerns.
Shortly before Senator Nelson moved to start Earth Day, he organized a protest to encourage others to protect the environment. He was inspired by Vietnam War protests when he saw how effective they were in calling attention to important matters. He then joined forces with Denis Hayes to hold their first march on April 22, 1970. The voices of the protest demanded the creation of an environmental agency.
The Actual Date of Earth Day Emerged from Controversy
U.S. conservative groups initially opposed the April 22 celebration of Earth Day because it was Vladimir Lenin’s birthday, and April 1970 would’ve been his 100th birthday. Many saw this as a hidden meaning, leading to a conspiracy theory that Earth Day was really a celebration of communism.
The truth behind the date is much less political. Senator Nelson chose the date because most colleges are on spring break then, and he believed the support of college students would be important to the cause.
Every Earth Day Has a Theme
Of course the overall goal of each Earth Day is caring for the environment. But, each year Earth Day is given a theme to focus efforts on a specific environmental cause that needs attention.
Earth Day Network has the responsibility of choosing the theme each year. This year, we’ll be focusing on protecting the Earth from big companies and government agencies that don’t have our planet’s best interest in mind.
The First Earth Day Was Too Big to Ignore
Over 20 million people participated in the first Earth Day through all kinds of environmentally focused events that aimed to find new and improved ways of caring for this planet we all share. The huge success wasn’t something that Congress could ignore.
They listened to the people and eventually passed an environmental reform, including new laws to protect environmental resources. Eight months later President Richard Nixon approved the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Finally, in 1990, this celebration was extended worldwide with 141 participating nations. By the new millennium, there were already 184 countries joining in to celebrate Earth Day and focus on environmental issues in their own way.
At GoodSam Foods, we proudly focus on the care of the environment, on Earth Day and every day. Our organic products are grown using regenerative agriculture, so you can eat healthy and delicious foods, knowing you’re also helping the planet.
