This year marks the 45th anniversary of Earth Day! While theme was green cities, this year’s is summarized with the slogan: “It’s our turn to lead.”1 With this theme in mind, check out the special events and celebrations planned for Earth Day 2015 and learn how to get involved!
The Rise of Earth Day
In September 1963, after being persuaded by Senator Gaylord Nelson, President John F. Kennedy went on a five-day, eleven-state national tour to promote . While the tour was not very successful in sparking public interest, Nelson states, “It was the germ of the idea that ultimately flowered into Earth Day.”2 Several years later, in 1969, Senator Nelson became inspired by the anti-Vietnam War “teach-ins” occurring on college campuses throughout the United States. He announced at a conference in Seattle in September 1969 that there would be a nationwide grassroots demonstration in April 1970 to raise awareness for the environment. A few months before the event, the New York Times published an article commenting on the enthusiasm surrounding the idea: “Rising concern about the environmental crisis is sweeping the nation’s campuses with an intensity that may be on its way to eclipsing student discontent over the war in Vietnam.”3 While environmental issues had not grabbed public attention in 1963, by 1970 they had. Senator Nelson commented, “We had neither the time nor the resources to organize 20 million demonstrators and the thousands of schools and local communities that participated. That was the remarkable thing about Earth Day. It organized itself.”4
Earth Day Celebrations Around the World
Forty-five years after the first celebration, Earth Day is still, in a sense, organizing itself. Below are two creative and meaningful ways I think Earth Day is being celebrated this year.
- Earth Hour
https://greeniacs.10web.site/images/articlesiconwb.jpg” height=”16″ width=”16″>. The following year, the event took off with over 50 million people in 35 countries. Even landmarks such as the Golden Gate Bridge were turned off, adding to the power of the statement.5 The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) organizes the event, and this year’s Earth Hour was held on Saturday, March 28 from 8:30 PM to 9:30 PM of your local time zone. The event is always held in late March instead of Earth Day (April 22) because late March is closest to the spring and autumn equinoxes in both hemispheres. The equinox means sunset times in both hemispheres are close, so the visual impact of a global “lights out” event is at its best.6
It is important to note that Earth Hour is only a “lights out” event for non-essential lights. Lights needed to ensure public safety, such as traffic lights, are not turned off for this event.7
- The Canopy Project
The Earth Day Network made a promise to the Global Poverty Project in 2012 to plant 10 million trees over the next five years in impoverished areas of the world. Thus, The Canopy Project was born. Over the past three years, The Canopy Project has planted over 1.5 million trees in 18 countries, including the United States. The goal of The Canopy Project is that through planting trees, communities will achieve economic and environmental stability because of the many benefits that trees provide, such as improved air quality, food, raw materials, soil stability, and fuel.8
One place of focus so far for The Canopy Project has been Haiti. The earthquake in January 2010 caused numerous due to lack of vegetation. The Canopy Project has planted 500,000 trees in Haiti in partnership with Trees for the Future in an effort to reverse the environmental degradation caused from the catastrophic 2010 earthquake. Central Uganda has also been an area of focus. Across three impoverished districts, Kiboga-Kyankwanzi, Kayunga and Kamuli, The Canopy Project has planted 350,000 trees in partnership with local farmers and Trees for the Future.9
For every dollar donated, The Canopy Project will plant a tree. To read more and contribute, visit: salsalabs.com.
Important dates for 2015:10
April 20th – 24th: Climate Education Week
September 25th: United Nations adopts the Sustainable Development Goals
November 30th: United Nations Climate Change Conference (also known as Conference of the Parties 21)
To browse a full list of the events happening worldwide, check out:
For more information on how to participate this year, check out Earth Day Network’s Leadership Guide .
